Black and White
by Transformers 0
Summary: This story happened ages ago, and it's a tale that's seemingly created only by the stuff of dreams. But it has happened, and here are the records.
1. Prologue - The Intro

**Black and White**

 **Prologue** **–** **The Intro**

This story happened a long time ago, in an ancient land far away.

This is an epic story, seemingly created by the stuff that only dreams are made of.

But it has happened, and history has kept the records.

This is a story of love and loss, brotherhood and betrayal, courage, sacrifice, topped with the devastating collision between innocence and maturity. It is a story of the blurred line between our best and our worst.

This is one of the many legends of the legendary Dragon Warrior, whose Kung Fu skills were the stuff of legend. He lived a long, happy, fulfilling life. But just as those before him did and those after him have still yet to do, he had to search for answers. Who was he? Why was he here? What did he have to do? What did he have yet to do?

This is the story that tells us of the Dragon Warrior's Greatest Adventure. His Finest Hour. This is how the safety of Ancient China was ensured once and for all, now and forever. Though this story happened long ago and far from our reality, it is also transpiring right here. Right now. In our very hearts.

This is the Dragon Warrior's Masterpiece.

And it begins… now.

* * *

 **But not yet! This is just the Introduction!**

 **You'll see more next chapter! Pray that I may have the time to do so over the next few days!**

 **Transformers 0 over the moon and out!**


	2. Diminishing Candlelight

**Diminishing Candlelight**

 _"Long ago, in Ancient China, the peacocks King Kepa and Queen Zhang ruled over Gongmen City. They brought great joy and prosperity to the city, for they had given birth to a son, Prince Shen. The king and queen also brought about the creation of the firework. For many years, Gongmen and its citizens thrived and flourished in peace and happiness. But young Prince Shen had seen a darker power within his parents' creation. What had brought colour and joy, could also bring darkness and destruction…"_

* * *

Prince Shen rushed out of his comfortable bedroom-workshop hybrid, beak hanging with a grin, eyes alight with joy. "Mother! Father! I've had an epiphany!"

In the grand dining room, King Kepa and Queen Zhang were peacefully sitting, having their intake of dinner after another day of running the kingdom.

"Son, you missed breakfast and lunch," the queen crooned, violet eyes softly glimmering with parental worry.

"It was all worth it!" Shen squawked back, ecstasy lathering his voice, "I've found another way to utilize our fireworks!"

"Enlighten us, my boy," Kepa spoke up, his features showing keen indulgence in his only son. The teenage peacock lead the way back to his quarters. He presented his parents with calculation-riddled blueprints, the volatile chemical elements, and the miniature wooden sculptures of his envisioned creation.

"Shen… this is all wonderful… and I can tell that you've put many years of planning and forethought into this, but…" Kepa started, hesitation gripping his spine, "I am not sure that this is what the people need…"

"Or want," Zhang finished.

"Why wouldn't they want it?" Shen queried, "It would help bolster our army. We'd be unstoppable. Nobody would defeat us anymore. We would never be wiped out. We would have no need for Kung Fu anymore!"

His parents didn't reply to that last sentence, as they were too busy processing and replying to the first few.

"I know with that kind of power we would never be defeated, son, but for an utopian society, we people should aim to be–"

"Pacifistic! I know that already!" Shen drawled irritably, "You've given me that lecture a thousand times, Father!"

When he was 5, Shen had clashed with a classmate at school who had poked fun at his sickliness and albinism. Though his parents had shown pride for him standing up for himself, they were also disappointed that Shen had went to extremes, leaving lacerations littered all over the goose boy's chest and face. Since then, his parents had tried to instill in him the virtues of mercy, compassion, and understanding. But their son still seemed to run into similar problems every other year.

Shen continued his little spiel, "But I know that there comes a day when pacifism _will_ fail. Nearly all of the immediate nations around us blaze with war. When the walls of security crumble, we need to be prepared. I know my cannon is the key to all of this!"

"Shen," his mother said, voice gentle but entirely firm, "You need to stop playing with these trinkets when your alone and instead take the time to think about what you're implying and planning to bring about when your time comes to rule this city."

She motioned a wing to Kepa, "My dear, I think we must leave for a bit and let our son grow a little more."

Zhang walked out, her talons clicking on the floor, but her husband stopped to give his son one more thing.

"Very sharp eloquence you've got there, my son," the king complimented. Then he left his son to his own thoughts.

* * *

This is what it feels like to be Prince Shen right now.

You are left simmering in the tides of your rising, boiling frustration. You cast a look at all your best work, once again shoved to the side by the people most dearest to you. Your parents have left you alone to "grow a little more", thinking that that's the cure to the virus that eats away at your sanity. They're wrong. You need approval, and reassurance. If not those two things, then you need comfort, gentle wisdom, and a guiding wing. Stuff that just always seems to be out of your reach as of late.

You pace around, your inner walls starting to succumb to the fire of your soul. You think about the two others close to you. Your kindly goat tutor, and your childhood friend… your childhood friend… Quan.

Quan is a young lieutenant in your parents' special wolf forces. He is 5 years your senior (you are 15), but he's like the big brother you wished you had. He's open, provides a listening ear, and he'd do anything for you.

So, grabbing the blueprints and a spare prototype model miniature off your bedside desk, with a heart fluttering full of excitement you make your way over to the barracks of the royal forces.

* * *

"My lord," Quan spoke up, upon seeing the young prince gracefully glide through the open doors, "How nice to see you."

"Quan, I ask you this not as an order or a favour, but as a request from a dear friend," Shen spoke, cutting to the point, "I need you and your two best men to escort me out in public, where I will be showcasing my latest work to the people."

"Yes, my lord," Quan replied, already knowing what his best friend was talking about. Shen had shared with him his dream of inventing an instrument that would seal the glory of Gongmen, and Quan had shown open enthusiasm and unbridled support in return. Shen deeply appreciated the high praise.

"I'll have two men ready for escort in five minutes," Quan continued, keen confidence etched onto his wolfish features.

"Brilliant," Shen grinned back, feeling his heartbeat rise and feathers ruffle with the flow of joyful satisfaction.


	3. Fuses

**Update:  
** **I went back and edited this chapter to make the story's flow more organic and refined.**

* * *

 **Fuses**

Shen gracefully strode through the town, barely making a sound. His much noisier wolf guards followed his tail. The bustle of Gongmen didn't affect them much. They soon reached the city square without any delay or fuss. The people there stopped when they saw their prince addressing them.

"Citizens of Gongmen City! It is my great honour to present to you the weapon of the future. It gives me great pride to have found another way of utilizing my parents' fireworks. I call it The Cannon!"

People came close to inspect his wooden model and his blueprints. Some were impressed.

Some people weren't.

"What kind of mind do you have to have to make something as lethally silly as this?" a passing pig remarked. Shen bristled at this. "Sir, I will let you know that I have quite the perspicacious mind to have thought of something like this," he forced himself to reply politely. The pig was unfazed however, and continued with his jibes, "Only a lunatic would think of spending that much resources and time into making a weapon seen only in his insipid dreams."

"I think you'd better leave now sir," Lieutenant Quan spoke up, placing a firm paw on the elderly pig's shoulder. The wolf could see sparks flying from the eyes of his prince. "Are you threatening me, impertinent juvenile?" the old pig glowered. "Call it a polite suggestion," the wolf boss shot back smoothly, giving the pig a suggestive shove.

"Oh now we see the violence inherent in the system!"

"Just be quiet!" snapped Shen, his ears burning now.

"Madness, I tell you all! This is madness!" the old pig huffed as he stomped away. Though the crowds didn't disperse.

"Slum dweller," muttered Shen, just loud enough for the retreating pig to hear.

"Oh you heard what the prince just called me?!" the fading yells could be heard still.

"Just ignore Old John," another citizen, a goose this time, spoke up.

"But he does raise a pretty good question," a male sheep strode forward, "Why do we need a weapon such as this? Isn't Kung Fu enough?"

"Kung Fu is for barbarians and savages!" Shen snapped, recalling a memory.

* * *

 _ **1 year ago…**_

"Look at the little birdy! Isn't he quaint?" a young snow leopard jeered.

A prone Shen spat out some blood on the temple's training floor.

"Ah, leave him alone. Let his feathers blossom like flowers, then he'll be able to down us by giving a dazzling display to gawk at," a young bear piped up.

Shen gave a half-snarl and launched a kick at the bear's muzzle. It connected and the bear boy toppled. The young peacock then placed all his focus on the snow leopard. The fowl whipped his tail about and thrashed his wings at multiple angles. He managed to land a few glancing hits on the cat boy, but the young leopard was more annoyed than hurt.

The feline's yellow eyes glinted dangerously before he launched a butterfly kick at the bird. Shen managed to twist away from it and sweep the cat from below, but before he could deliver a KO blow, he found the bear cub's arms in a crushing grip around his waist.

"Tai Lung! Now!"

Tai Lung recovered and delivered a hammer fist to Shen's face. The peacock was sent spinning and sprawling to the floor. The bear delivered a kick to Shen's stomach. "What kind of world do you live in where you think a peacock can be a great warrior?"

Shen couldn't muster up the energy for a reply. He didn't have to.

"Bear! That is _enough_!" Master Ox bellowed from the doorway where he had just entered.

"Tai Lung! You too!" Master Croc said sharply, following Ox in, "What would your Master Shifu say if we reported that his prized student was misbehaving during his apprenticeship?"

"Get to your quarters. We will discuss this affront later," Ox ordered sternly. The bear cub and leopard cup slunk out of the room, heads hung. But Shen could feel that they weren't sorry.

"I _hate_ them. I hate _this_."

"Prince Shen, are you badly hurt?"

"No, Master Croc. Not physically. But emotionally? Yes. Can you hold them while I hit them as punishment?"

"We will let Shifu decide his student's punishment. And I will make sure that Bear doesn't get off free for this," Ox replied firmly. Shen felt the muscles around his beak twist his lower face into a scowl. "What's the point of learning Kung Fu if you can't use it to ensure justice?"

"The point of learning Kung Fu is to enlighten your life with balance and knowledge, giving you wisdom and insight of about how to tackle your problems in life, aside from providing self-defence. Kung Fu is not just some tool to assert who's right or who's wrong," Ox warned, feeling Shen's negativity reverberating through his horns.

The two masters and the young prince made their way to the healers' room. "I still do not see your point of just letting your enemies go if they've wronged you. One should be able to extract vengeance as he pleases."

"I have no problem with vengeance," Croc spoke to the young bird, "But you seek to show your dominance over others through force rather than letting them see and respect you for who you are."

"What I am is a weakling."

"If you train, study and focus more rather than sulk and fruitlessly quest for frivolous riches, then you'd be strong in heart and muscle."

"I already am strong in heart and head! All I want now is the physical prowess that you promised me but can't seem to deliver on!"

"Enough for now!" Ox snorted with thinning patience, "Healers, get this boy patched up. Your Highness, rest and recover well, but please also consider why you are studying Kung Fu."

With that, Masters Ox and Croc left young Shen to be tended to by the nurses of the temple.

* * *

Shen had considered Master Ox's words. He considered why he signed up to learn Kung Fu, and he came to the conclusion that it wasn't worth it. When he returned to Gongmen after his apprenticeship, he told his parents that he would drop Kung Fu to devote more time to his royal duties here in Gongmen. His parents, though bewildered and a little saddened for him, accepted their son's decision without question.

But being reminded of his inferiority at this topic made Shen snap at the gathered animals.

"I do not want another mention of Kung Fu while I am around you for the rest of my time here! Am I understood?!"

"Yes, my lord," the assembly replied messily, though Shen did not care for coherence at that point.

However, one bold sheep spoke up. "You were always a rotten egg! I feel sorry for the rest of these people if you were to become ruler for us in a few years' time!"

Shen saw red. He launched himself at the impertinent animal. Shen grabbed him with the claws of his foot and spun, decking the sheep.

"See?! Witness the violence that this poor excuse of a prince displays!" shouted Old John, who had returned to piss off Shen some more. The senile old fool found himself flying through the air towards some barrels a moment later, courtesy of an uppercut from Shen's wing. The young peacock made a move to advance…

But the sounds of his parents' disappointment stopped him cold.

"Get back to the palace! We will discuss your behaviour later," Kepa spoke calmly, though his glowering gaze settled upon his son. Shen stood for several moments, before deciding not to defy his father's order and silently motioned for his wolf soldiers to follow. His parents turned to the citizens. "We apologize for our son's actions, but we will also refuse to condone disparagements towards our family. Good day."

They turned and left. The remaining crowds dispersed in disturbed murmurs and mumbles.

* * *

"We never taught you to attack without mercy!" Zhang snapped at her son, "Why would you do that?"

"I will not be undermined by some ingrate slackers!" Shen huffed back. His mother strutted closer, "These are your people who you will rule over in future, son! I suggest that you learn to lead them wisely!"

"Once I get the power to put them in their place, then I will!"

"You caused property damage! And Old John has now been confined to a healers' home for the next few weeks!"

Flames silently spewed in Shen's eyes. "That's the first good news I've heard all day!"

"Enough!" his mother thundered, her soprano dropping an octave with fury, "I want you to write out a letter of apology, which your father and I will read out to the citizens. Punishment is acceptable for their wrongdoings. Threat to maim isn't."

"I will NOT lower myself to their unacceptable standards!" clucked Shen in unfettered defiance.

"Then you will spend the rest of the week confined to the palace grounds, buried deep in your studies so that you won't even have time to work on your stupid, useless cannons!"

Shen's lower beak dropped. He could only give a weak gasp and stare in horrified shock as his mother turned on her heel and stormed out of his room. How _dare_ she!

* * *

"I think you were _too hard_ on him."

Kepa's voice brokered little room for argument. Unfortunately, the king forgot about his wife's temper after spending the last hour or so sternly lecturing his wolf forces on their recent misbehaviours in public. There had been a few grumbles and one or two protests, but the king applied the gracious principles of subsidiarity and left the renegades to the mercy of their commanders.

"He has to learn to live like a proper prince. Firm discipline molds a chick into a bird. He will never be able to show wise judgement if he only continues his hollow pursuits with his ill-conceived dreams."

"He only wishes to follow in our footsteps, my love. I think we are more at fault than he is," her husband said sagely. Zhang sighed deeply and considered this angle. It stabbed at her heart to think that she was causing her son's own pain with her blind misguidance. "Maybe we are in the wrong," she spoke softly, "I think we should consult our Soothsayer."

"Aye," said her husband, "We'll do it tomorrow."

* * *

The next day passed by with burning tensions simmering in the air. Shen refused to leave his room and snapped at the servants who brought him his food, drinks and books. His parents could only find themselves with enough energy to give him stern warnings and reprimands from outside his locked doors.

Night fell with the moon faintly outlined. The winter air had built up over the last few days, and first snow was released from the skies. White flakes gingerly made contact with the ground, and a wind howled lightly through the city. The city wasn't active much at all tonight, and an uneasy, foreboding atmosphere descended upon Gongmen.

While the fire in his heart still had embers remaining, Shen had managed to quench it down over the past couple of hours. He decided that he would try to be a better son to his parents, and that the first step to that would be cleaning up his mess from today and writing that letter… after he got back from delivering his used dishes to the kitchen. But as he made his way downstairs, he didn't know that he was only descending into a raging forest fire. It was a blaze that had started small, forcibly hidden by the tranquility of the life in the canopies, but it had eventually blasted its way out, and started ruthlessly wreaking havoc on those unfortunate enough to stand in its path.

* * *

"So your son's future is what you wish to see?" the Soothsayer asked. Shen's parents looked at their son's tutor. They had hired her for a reason – to keep careful, compassionate watch and to give loving guidance to their son when they weren't available, held up by their royal duties across, and sometimes out of, the city.

"Yes. And let's make this quick. This meeting is to be of the utmost confidentiality," King Kepa rumbled elegantly, baritone clogged with concern.

"Very well," replied Soothsayer. She turned to her potions and powders, and selecting one she poured it into her dish. The dish already had a dry substance within it, and as the magical liquid was poured into it the mixture caught alight. Flames leapt up, and a pillar of smoke billowed heavily for several moments before revealing an image.

White light gave birth to a peacock, rising proud, tall and strong. But the Soothsayer's following words contrasted against the parents' initial musings and instead brought burning fear to their hearts.

"If your son continues down this dark path," the Soothsayer foretold gloomily, "A Warrior of Black and White will rise up and destroy him."

The image of the brilliant white peacock was now consumed by black smoke, and transformed into the Yin Yang Symbol. The symbol represented balance, unity, and harmony. Though the king and queen didn't feel very harmonious after this presentation. Amongst the darkness, they failed to notice young and uncalloused bird feet flitting away in hurried motion.

"We can't allow that to happen! _I_ won't let that happen!" said the Queen with shaky resolve. Her legs felt like failing her, and she had to intake a few sharp breaths to keep her wits and strength. "We will do what we must to protect our son."

"You cannot do anything to help him. The choice has to be his alone," the Soothsayer replied softly. "But we are his parents, it is our _responsibility_ ," remarked the King, consternation building within his throat, "We should have brought him with us tonight. We should tell him straight away."

"Hasty decision, but it's one of the few ones I concur with," Soothsayer said, her eyes glowing dimly within the firelight.

The two parents made their way to the top levels, where their son's quarters were.

But they were already too late. Far too late.

* * *

After Shen had dumped his dishes in the kitchen, he was making his way back to his bedroom when he heard a mild blaze coming from the bottom floor. His feet glided silently down the stairs, and when he reached the bottom he was relieved to see nothing was out of the ordinary. Except for his parents standing in front of – was that his goat nanny? – a Soothsayer in the middle of delivering a prophecy.

"We worry greatly for him," his mother spoke to the goat, "He is too volatile and instable for his own good."

Those words _stung_ Shen's ears.

"He spends too much time wondering how he can turn something beautiful into something deadly, and has no problem disregarding the wellbeing of himself and others to accomplish his tasks."

 _Mother?! How could you?!_

The young prince started trembling in grief and shame. This was a devastating and unprecedented blow in his relationship with his parents. It was like he was a sower, and his parents had burned up the finest silk he had produced. He was like a harvester, and his parents scorned him for his crop. They had created his heart and encouraged his mind, only to shun both of his best attributes in the final accounting. This was just about too much for the young prince to bear. What hurt him even more then were his father's next words.

"We cannot allow him to pursue this nightmare any longer. It is wholly detrimental to everyone's wishes."

 _Everyone's wishes but my own. Why does no one value me?_

"So your son's future is what you wish to see?" the Soothsayer then asked, and Shen's full attention returned to the moment.

"Yes. And let's make this quick. This meeting is to be of the utmost confidentiality," the king said. Shen's soul cracked at this.

 _My parents are even willing to hide their horrible truths from me. Why?!_

Shen crept behind the nearest pillar. His Soothsayer-Nanny-Tutor-Goat (he didn't care much at this point what the elderly animal was) displayed her predictions in an enchanted display of magical, flaming concoctions. Shen bore witness to a peacock rising tall, before chills crept up his spine as the image was shredded by smoke to become a Yin Yang symbol. Despite the symbol's benevolent annotations, Shen felt more ominously threatened than pleased. The words that followed were spoken loud enough to hear, though he wished his ears could've blocked it.

"If your son continues down this dark path, a Warrior of Black and White will rise up and destroy him."

"But there are no black and white warriors in China that I've ever heard of," thought Shen to himself, before terrified realization dawned on him, "The Giant Pandas. They must be planning to overthrow me and my parents and bring chaos upon Gongmen. And quite possibly beyond as well…"

So, even with a heart burdened and desolated by betrayal and shame, Shen steeled himself for what he decided would his next move. It would be a move made from the machinations of bold courage and fearlessness. It would be a move made to protect his family, and make them proud. It would decide his fate as ruler of this city, and ensure his people's undying respect.

Shen silently ran up the flights of stairs to his room. He was going to need to make a stealthy, but dramatic, exit.

* * *

"Quan! Tell General Enlai to get the whole wolf force underway!" Shen ordered in a resolute tone as he glided into the wolves' courtyard. Quan stumbled out of his bed and lurched his way outside the bunker on all fours. "What troubles you, my lord?"

"The Giant Pandas do. They wish to overthrow my family and bring down their hammer of terror across China!" the prince replied with curt urgency, "We must act quickly to preserve the peace and the citizens of Gongmen and the land!"

"Yes my lord!"

Within ten minutes, all the wolves had been rallied, and General Enlai had assembled them before the young prince, who was about to address them before moving out.

"My soldiers, it has become apparent that we have been blinded by the peace that this wonderful civilization has brought upon us. It is thanks to my parents' endeavours that Gongmen City stands as a crown jewel and a sagacious example of an utopian society. But now we must not delay. We have to act and extinguish this threat without hesitation. Peace is like a chain. If constructed well, it holds for eons. But even the most constructed chains snap after too long a time and too little action taken to maintain it. And so we are the workers who will fix this chain of tranquility. We will march upon the Panda Village and exterminate the threat. They are all to be considered as threats. Do not leave one alive. Afterwards, we will continue our purging of all the black and white scourges that menace the population of China. If we prove successful, this is a story that will go down in our country's history to be exalted and acclaimed by the generations of the future! Now onwards!"

The wolves rallied and howled. They bounded through the empty streets, zipped down unused lantern lines, and leaped like silent serial killers from rooftop to rooftop. Shen followed with more physical elegance. He ran across cobblestone floors and vaulted up posts and gazebos. The almost empty moon meant that he was camouflaged within the darkness. The prince belonged entirely to the night as he glided from building to building, and raced through blackened alleys.

* * *

If you were Lieutenant Quan right now, this is what you'd be thinking.

This hunt provides the perfect opportunity to achieve getting the respect you and your species deserve.

The young prince's parents took pity upon your battered family, who were just struggling to stay alive after a fierce battle that left your parents and their generation exhausted and thinned to breaking point. Wolves always participated in wars and epic battles. It is your species' tradition.

Unfortunately, not many other animals share your species' point of view, and they look down upon you and your brethren and call you prejudiced slights such as "savages", "blood-drinkers", and "howlbags".

Even while your generation was born in the peaceful boundaries of Gongmen, you and you littermates are still given gazes of fear, reluctance, and glares of distrust and discomfort. You can live in Gongmen as a citizen, but you know that you aren't welcome. Your warrior ways are viewed as disturbing anomalies, and you are ignored and sidelined by other species daily.

But taking out the threat of the Pandas can change that.

Win or lose. Fail or succeed. You and your species will go down as heroes in history. As the ones who either definitely put down the Panda Uprising, or gave their lives in service valiantly trying to stop it.

And so, you do not hesitate as you clear the outskirts of the city and make your way through greens and brushlands.

This is what you were born to do.

This is what you live to do.

You are going to enjoy this mission.

* * *

 **I spent an hour yesterday afternoon doing the calculations for my interpretation of the characters' ages.**

 **For your information, Shen is 15 years old in the present time. Quan (eventually known as Boss Wolf) is 20.**

 **The flashback takes place 1 year ago, so Shen would've been 14 then. Tai Lung (future villain) would've been 10. And Bear (future master) would've been 15.**

 **Ox and Croc in the flashback would've been 32 and 30, respectively.**

 **And so only two chapters remain for the prologue. The Massacre and its Aftermath.**

 **Please feel free to review! Critiques and compliments are much appreciated!**

 **Transformers 0 over the moon and out!**


	4. Devastation

**Devastation**

 _"Shen's troubled parents consulted a Soothsayer. She foretold that if Shen continued down his dark path, he would be defeated by a Warrior of Black and White. The young lord set out to change his fate. But what he did next… only sealed it…"_

* * *

This is the Giant Panda Purge.

Imagine an ocean's worth of humongous black and white pandas. Imagine these pandas working hard for a living, to be self-sufficient, to raise families, to provide service to others. Imagine them welcoming you into their towns and villages with open arms and with deliciously pre-prepared food ready to serve to you. To show compassion to you as one of their own. Even if you may not be one of their species. Pandas are benevolent by nature. They show love to others readily, whether familiar or stranger. They are placid people, but they are fierce when shoved and beaten. They will retaliate if they see deliberate wrongdoing. They will strike hard to defend and protect, then they will fade away back to their normal docile selves. These pandas are willing to fight and die with all they are worth to protect their own. But they strive to avoid conflict, to let disturbances rush over them like a flowing river. They only intervene if one comes across their path with intent to harm.

Unfortunately, with attackers closing in under the cover of night, and only a few brethren out working in the fields, the pandas were ill-prepared for the massacre that was to follow.

Fate has it that they were struck down, wiped out like oaks in a forest fire. They fell to burning anger and zealous ambition. They yielded and succumbed to uncontrollable desires to overwhelm and overpower.

They were swept away by a vengeful and corrupted flash flood. Never to be seen again.

* * *

Shen halted his troops outside the outskirts of the Panda Village. He motioned to General Enlai to come over. With the wolf leader by his side, Shen gestured to the village and verbally laid out his plan.

"I want two platoons to circle around and wipe out the farmers. That will be a stealth job. Then two companies will block the north and south exits of the village. The rest of us will rush in from the east and west."

"It will be done my lord," the senior wolf replied. He got two of his captains to spread the orders around. In mere minutes, the entire wolf army was ready to attack.

"Alpha and Bravo squads! Move out!"

* * *

The rake flowed through the paddock with ease. His arms were well-built, allowing him to tug on the products of his gardening easily. With a simple, well-practiced flick of his arm, the rake leapt out of the icy water and spat weeds into a nearby bucket. "10 down. 10 to go," the panda remarked, pleased with his progress. He and two others had been sent to the south-east paddocks to clear them of weeds so as to ensure that the growth of the rice seedlings proceeded unhindered. The farmer's two little ears perked up and swivelled slightly as he thought he detected footfalls nearby – a splash or two.

"Rai! Was that you splashing about?" he called to his friend a couple hundred meters away. "You must be hearing things, Ji!" Rai responded, before turning back to tend to his paddock. "Or maybe I've gone blind," Rai added after a moment's thought. A dull _thump_ was heard, though Ji disregarded it. That would be his last mistake.

Several more muffled thumps from behind and Ji turned too late. He felt something sharp run him through his chest. The energy to roar out in rage, in despair, in shock, in _anything_ , was taken away from him. He could only let out a strangled, broken cry of "Help!"

Then he felt the blade slide outwards from him, and he collapsed face down in the rice field, blood inking red the white, snowy water.

The last thing he heard before his soul slipped away into the darkness was Rai screaming "Alert the others!"

* * *

Lieutenant Quan cursed as he saw a shadow elude his men and race into the darkened village. Getting down on all fours, he gave hot pursuit. After several swift long strides that let the world blur around him, Quan felt the ground underneath change from frozen grass to patterned stone. He could hear the frantic, panicked screaming of the fleeing panda as he raced to alert his brethren. Quan hoped that pandas were heavy sleepers. He was mistaken. He cursed again as he saw candlelights flicker on behind the shut windows of enclosed huts. Paws pounding, he swiftly closed the distance between himself and the panda, and sent his knife through the fat fool's stomach.

His dying scream was still a worded – and cursedly eloquent – warning about how the pandas were all in danger. All under attack.

Quan saw the thick shadows of Giant Pandas rushing out of their houses, holding tools as makeshift weapons. They all charged at him.

"I want Canine Platoon up here now!" Quan howled skyward in wolf code, before charging headlong into the mass of fat and black and white fur. His limbs struck like lightning, kicking and punching villagers away. The wolf used his agility to sidestep any larger, more powerful pandas. As he finished dispatching another with his knife, he turned and saw his troops flooding in from the nearest entrance. But there were more pandas rushing out to join the brutal melee. Metal blades sang through the air, staffs whistled and cracked, and those with no weapons resorted to clawing and pounding mercilessly.

Quan saw a panda leap off one of the hut's roofs and land squarely on a soldier, crushing the life out of the unfortunate canine. He bounded over and slashed a deep diagonal cut over the panda's back, leaving the bear to bleed out to death whilst prone on the ground. His ears caught a whisper of another close comrade in distress. "Lieutenant Quan! Lieutenant Quan!"

Quan followed his instincts to an open barn where Zeta Squad was pinned down by pandas on the defense. The lieutenant summoned two archers to snipe out the pandas while he dispatched the last few that still lurked around menacingly. "Sergeant Miller! How's our wounded?"

"Not good sir. A significant portion of our men have suffered severe cuts, lacerations and impalements. Some were only just lucky because of our quality armour."

"Set up a medical base here," Quan declared, then he turned to his archers, "You two, make sure that no effing panda gets in here."

"Sir yes sir!" they replied.

"Good. I'm gonna reinforce the uninjured," said Quan, running on all fours back into the bloody bedlam. Fresh snow had started to fall.

* * *

"Where is the warrior that you have tasked to destroy me and my family?!" Shen snarled at a group of pandas he had cornered against the wall. The pandas glared back with brave defiance.

"We don't know what you're talking about!" one of them spoke, "None of us do!"

A slash and the perpetrator collapsed to the ground with a groan, blood oozing from his open stomach.

"Don't play games with me! You are planning to overthrow my parents and conquer all of China!"

"We would do no such thing!"

Another slice and that panda fell backwards, screaming in agony.

"We are a peaceful people! Please stop this madness!"

That panda too, ended up on the ground, bloody entrails slipping out of the recent gash that Shen had just made. The teenaged peacock returned his deathly gaze among the last two hostages.

"We don't want to fight! We just want this attack to be called off!"

Stab. The speaker collapsed, a neat red line reaching all the way through his skull.

"Please don't do this! What would your parents say about this?"

Shen snapped and with multiple swings completely mutilated the last prisoner standing.

"How dare you speak of my parents! How dare you plan to overthrow them and then lie about it to my face! How dare you even envision about demolishing our reign and using your hidden lust for sovereignty to conquer and annex! How dare you! How dare you!"

When Shen had finished slicing and dicing, what was left of the last hostage was nothing more than bloody red limbs, guts, and unrecognizable pieces of severed, meat-covered bones. Shen turned back to his swarming troops.

"Leave no panda alive! Spare not the elderly or the young! Kill them all! Kill them!" he barked, tamed fear hidden behind his fury-filled voice. The peacock prince was a whirlwind with his lance, slashing apart pandas and their property, tearing through flesh, intestine and wood like they were paper and he were scissors. They were nothing at all compared to him. Nothing at all.

He had just finished decapitating another panda when he heard it. An infant's cry. He swivelled himself round, rotating his vision, seeing kids getting their limbs hacked off and chests speared, seeing elderly people forced to prone positions on the ground and stabbed through the back, seeing men and women fighting and falling to the strikes of his wolves. Panda blood mixed with wolf blood. Both blood kinds stained the snow. But Shen couldn't find the source of that cry – no way an infant could still be alive after 10 minutes of ruthless siege. Shen acknowledged Quan and another trooper as they arrived to fight side by side. They rushed into another group, slashing and slicing limbs, guts and throats off monochromatic bears. The hulks crumbled like aged boulders under their assault.

Through the blood of spilled animals and the fires born from the burning of the village, Shen finally managed to see _it_. The helpless infant that was crumpled down on the ground in front of his burning homestead. He wailed pitifully for assistance. But the prince didn't come here to offer any.

"Get them all!" Shen shouted to his troops, pointing at the baby and the fleeing villagers beyond.

Quan lead the charge. He was about to bring his hammer down upon the baby panda, when its accursed father stepped in the way and swung his rake.

Quan screamed as he saw his left eye fly away from his face. He saw the rugged, freezing ground rush up to him. He felt it crush the breath out of his lungs. With a final, howling scream of agony, he passed out.

"Take our son, and run away! Go!" the male panda shouted to his wife, who had just finished dispatching two wolves and had now raced over to scoop up her baby. She complied with resigned silence and with one last look of longing desperation on her face as she turned and fled with her child, leaving her husband amongst the flames.

Shen stepped forward. "You will not get away with this, _my lord_ ," the panda dared to speak at him, spitting the last two words in bold impertinence. "We shall see," hummed Shen as he brandished his lance. The house came down when the panda leapt. The last crash of the burning house resounded with finality throughout the battlefield as the panda's rake met elegant, lethal metal.

With each exchange, the panda gave ground. Shen sneered as he pressed his advantage. Some of the opponent's brethren tried to charge in from different directions to help, but Shen cut them all down with a calculated spin. His duel with this obese annoyance spread outside of the village grounds. Shen found himself gliding on ground level through the surrounding forests, his pounding away at the snow and shrubs. He tried some more strikes from different angles – a headbutt here, a stab of his sword there, a leg sweep up here – but the panda irritatingly flicked them aside. Shen soon realized that the panda had lead him to a rope bridge, away from the main fight. He snarled.

"I'll kill you!" Shen squawked in rage, his red eyes glowing in the pale light of the winter moon. He sprang and slashed, sweeped and kicked, jumped and rolled, did every combat trick he knew to take down the panda. But the bear countered every one of them. Shen only just realized that the railing ropes on both sides had been cut, and that the panda was resorting to a desperate, fatal dance to weave them across him. Shen sneered as he let his beak cut the ropes.

"If you're the warrior assigned to defeat me, I'm not impressed one bit!" he laughed hysterically as he launched himself in the air and sliced the bridge in half with a fluid motion. The panda silently plummeted to his death in the icy river below, and Shen allowed his wings to guide him in his glide back to the apocalyptic realm that he had created.

* * *

When Shen returned to the main battle site, he found his men had suffered heavy casualties.

 _"No worries. The pandas suffered worse,"_ he thought.

Quan's sergeant, Miller, came running up to him to report. Apparently, all but a few pandas were successfully slaughtered. The little that remained had scattered to the winds. No matter, he would find them and hunt them down.

Another wolf, much more lower-ranking this time, raced to deliver news to him.

"Several villagers just fled into the forest a few minutes ago. We can catch them if we hurry!"

"Send what's left of the able to hunt them down. But keep a squad of archers here to defend the wounded," Shen said, before turning tail and plunging into the forest again.

His dogged and determined pursuit proved fruitful. He bisected several lost, wandering children, and he delivered quick stabs to a group of young adults he came across. Despite their protective nature, the pandas were no match against a mercilessly trained 15-year-old prince. He was graceful yet deadly as he swept through the forest. He was swift yet fierce as he thundered through the snowstorm. Inside, his heart burned with icy courage, and his red eyes felt as if they were preemptively guiding him, leading him by instinct through the menacing blackness of the night.

He finally chanced upon the last straggler, who had just scaled a slope and had taunted his wolves who were in pursuit. She sprinted off. They gave chase. He gave chase.

"Where's your little baby now, princess?" he heard one of the men sneer.

"Dead now. I was forced to abandon him and cut his lifeline away from the world of the living," the mother panda replied, "Your work of art is sickeningly beautiful."

With that, she rolled down another slope into a trench. The wolves followed while Shen stopped his feet, intending to watch this confrontation from the stealthy, monochromatic covers of the blizzard.

"We have great taste," another canine jeered, jagged teeth radiating a lethal glint in the moonlight.

"Why would you do _this_?!" the female snarled, charging and using the sudden momentum to throw herself in a crushing belly drum on top of a wolf. She rolled off and brought down her foot with no hesitation upon his head. She turned and her paws snagged the jaws of another that had dared to try and bite her from behind.

"Because your kind are planning to take over China! We were warned by our prince, who was warned by his soothsayer!" the lead wolf replied as he tackled the bear. Shen glowered and silently growled from the grey shadows. Those fools he called soldiers weren't supposed to spit out the soothsayer's name and possibly let slip the chance for his enemies to endanger her. He would punish them for their loose jabberings. But it seemed that the work could be done for him. The mother panda was more than holding her own, and she batted aside the rest of the wolves. With a final, impromptu battle cry, she charged forward, slammed the leader into a headlock, and _twisted_. His neck cracked like fatigued wood, and when she released the corpse, it flopped into the placid stream.

But the battle had cost her. Worn out from her burning legs which had sprinted all the way for her, horribly pained by the mauling wounds she had received, she collapsed onto her side, barely managing to prop her head on a small rock which jutted out from the stream.

Shen leapt down from his perch and stalked towards her with slow, impending finality.

"You will never get away with this," she whispered, voice whispering barely above an octave. Her mind was drowning in darkness, her breaths came unevenly and painfully, and her muscles got stiffer with numbness.

So it barely hurt when Shen thrust his blade downwards through her already shattered heart.

"I think you'll find, ma'am, that _we_ have this event more or less royally sanctioned," he stated icily as he watched her life leave her. He saw the last cursing spasms of her lips. She seemed to silently be saying "Impossible."

He drew the blade out from the body and slung it back on its sheath behind him.

He departed the scene without any further thoughts.

* * *

The first thing Quan noticed when he came to was the concerned features of the face of his best friend – who in question, was gazing at him worriedly.

"My bloody frigging eye's gone, isn't it?" he snarled sadly. Shen shook his head solemnly.

"Yes, and the majority of our forces were killed. Only two of our companies remain, and you're the only officer left."

Quan let the news flow through him. The pandas – the savages – were _that_ brutal? He forced his eyes to blink back the tears. They had won, but in the process had almost been wiped out themselves.

"How many are wounded?"

"Over half of them, almost three quarters apparently," Shen spoke, sadness clinging to the ends of his words.

"My poor, _poor_ brethren."

"Mourn we should, but not now. Now is also a time of great joy. We have succeeded in our mission. We have prevented the fall of Gongmen. We have ensured its protection. And in the process of doing so have burned our names in history's steel of legacy. This is a time of mourning, yes, but also a time of triumph and celebration," Shen declared to his best friend. Quan was at first taken aback by Shen's apparent wavering of grief, but with a moment's consideration, he knew that the rewards of this battle would outweigh the cost. He could finally imagine his kind being respected in the city. Wolves would walk with happiness and pride among those they had protected. They would be exalted for taking action, taking the chance to serve and protect, to deliver and ensure justice for all. That was what the ultimate outcome of this battle meant for his brethren. They could all be happy together.

"Indeed my lord, indeed," Quan complied, a ghost of a laugh escaping his throat.

"You are in command now, old friend," Shen continued on, "Once you have your strength back, lead them well until my return. I am taking myself and a squadron of uninjured wolves on your behalf to report our triumph to my parents."

Shen glowed in the light of dawn that filtered through the windows of the barn. His beak was grinning widely, he was standing tall and straight, and his eyes were alight with amber joy.

"They will be very proud of you," Quan said.

"I know. I _know_ they will be," replied Shen, his smile and aura of ecstasy swelling ever larger.

The wolf lieutenant couldn't be any happier for his dear friend.

"Yoke Squad! Fall in line with me!" the prince called to his chosen troops, turning away and marching through the barn doors with sophisticated, joyful grace.

Quan rolled back onto the medical mat. The bloody bustle of the night had heavily drained him, but with more-than-satisfactory results to show for it, he felt he could close his eyes and let sleep take him for a while. The warm darkness took him away quickly.

* * *

The Panda Village (or what's left of it) might have been isolated on the outskirts of Gongmen Valley, but words, speculations and rumours could still fly around. A worried thought from a passing deliveryman as he retrieved his cart from his shed near the battle site passed a message on in a whisper through to a hiking bison. The bison, hiking with a pace he had never done before, reached the sheep huts that formed a junction leading to the city. He passed his concerned thoughts onwards with worried speeches about what might have happened. Several sheep had then proceeded to make their way to the royal palace – the Tower of the Sacred Flame – and reported their ominous speculations to the antelope soldiers who guarded the palace. The army leader thanked them for their cautionings and proceeded to give a report to the king and queen.

"Apparently our wolf forces were behind this massacre," General Yaozu declared. Worry and horror flashed through his rulers' eyes.

"Thank you for your debriefing, Yaozu. Head back to the barracks for now," King Kepa spoke, hiding his anxiety behind his veil of regality. The antelope bowed and exited the throne room. Kepa turned to his wife.

"What could've been their motivations for _this_?" he wondered out loud. They started strolling down the stairs to the ground level, looking through the palace's panoramic openings at the thick trails of smoke rising in the distant horizon. If the rumours were true, that would be all that was left of the Giant Pandas and their village.

"Whatever it was, it was inexcusable, horrific and of the utmost cruelty," Zhang replied, her feathers ruffling with angry resolve, "We _have_ to bring down justice upon them."

"Slow down, my love. First we should launch a formal investigation into this matter. Then we can trial those who are guilty and punish them for their heartless crimes," the king cut in, "We should now wake our son, get some breakfast and then allow ourselves to dive deep into this affair."

Both husband and wife reached the ground level. They shared a very disturbed glance with each other. What kind of threat – what kind of _monster_ – could have done _this_?

"I'll send up the maids to wake our son," the queen said at last.

"And I'll get the cooks to make breakfast – on the double," the king replied.

They were a moment's wait away from separating to execute their errands when the front doors of the palace entrance flew open. And in stepped their son, covered with dried blood not his own, and having a light on his face that mortifyingly burned with glee. They felt their hearts begin to sink.

And with each shockingly _joyful_ declaration that their son trumpeted from his beak, their hearts slowly turned to glass and were shattered in pieces amongst an unforgiving floor.

"I did it, Mama! I did it, Papa!"

"I saved the city! I saved the kingdom! I saved us all!"

"They are dead! The disgusting, traitorous vermin! Their warriors shall never overthrow us!"

"We killed them all!"

* * *

Shen marched with pride through gates that were the only opening in the walls surrounding the royal tower. His chosen squad of wolves walked tall on two feet behind him.

The sun shone brightly over the morning clouds, sending warm orange rays across the far reaches of the kingdom. Shen took in the beauty of the morning as stalked up the steps leading to the entrance doors of the palace.

Inside, he felt his stomach coursing with positive energy – looking forward to a commemorative feast. He felt his avian brain release flying thoughts that made his spirits soar. A golden era had just begun under his wing.

His heart illuminated its own bright rays of joy around the environment, that Shen was sure of. He felt his white albino feathers glow with the internal flame of hope that burned inside of him.

He was a saviour.

His people would respect him.

His parents would be never-endingly proud of him.

He took a moment to discipline his overwhelming emotions of ecstasy, and he gracefully prepared himself for the barrage of praise that would collide right into him.

Behind closed doors he heard his parents talking.

He pushed open the doors and started declaring out loud and proud his triumphant endeavour.

* * *

This is what it feels like to be King Kepa and Queen Zhang right now.

You barely notice the maids head down the flight of stairs, about to tell you about the apparent absence of your son from his room when they also hear the news, and stop dead in their tracks.

You barely feel the sudden pain in your stomachs, barely notice the invisible choking haze that has somehow seeped and settled into your throats.

You barely even feel the agonized _thump-thump-thump_ of your own panicked, incredulous hearts.

You can only focus on comprehending the horrifying implications of your son's – your _son's_ – joyful announcements. _Joyful_.

That is the complete, terrifying opposite of what you feel right now.

Right now, you feel shredded by fear.

Mangled by guilt.

Thrashed by repulsion.

Tormented by horror.

Pulverized utterly by despair.

Your son's face begins to fall. You see his lower mandible droop in apprehension. You can see the glow in his eyes dissolve to nothingness.

And in the end, you can only find it in yourselves to let out one pitiful wail.

It is a pleading cry launched by your desperation to deny.

It is a last attempt at reigniting hope in an old, cynical candle.

It is a last, desolate resort to try and cling onto _any_ thread of innocence and goodness that remains in the demon that is _your son_.

You speak… but you cannot hide the tremble. The fear. The devastation.

 _"What have you done?"_

* * *

 _"Shen returned to his parents full of pride. But in their faces, he saw only horror."_


	5. Aftermath

**Aftermath**

 _"What have you done?"_

The question hung like poison in the air.

Shen suddenly felt very young, very little, and very foolish.

"What have you _done_?"

His parents continued to persist. His contented walls of fulfillment started to fatigue.

"I killed the pandas. I _saved_ us. We are no longer at risk of being overthrown."

Kepa choked on his gasp, while tears started to flood Zhang's head from within. "Tell us this is a joke, son! Tell is this is not true! _Please_!" she pleaded emptily, her sinking gut already forcing her to digest the truth.

"But it is true, Mama," Shen spoke softly, though hidden, vile resolve filled his voice, "They were going to conquer Gongmen, and so I took the wolves and exterminated the vermin."

"How dare you," his father spoke, shaking his head pitifully before the words came again, a shout this time, "HOW DARE YOU! What you did was disgusting, despicable, and disappointing! To say the least!"

"How dare I?!" barked Shen in reply, "Here we are, warned by our Soothsayer of our own destruction, I go and take matters into my own hands to ensure our safety – and _this_ is what I return to?!"

"You shouldn't have resorted to that," Zhang spoke, voice sickly trembling, "You should have taken more placid measures to uphold the peace of–"

"I AM SICK AND TIRED of doing things the 'peaceful' way!" Shen squawked with rage, "If not for me, then the pandas would have been the architects of our downfall! You would have just blindly negotiated in stupid circles with them until they flanked, surrounded, and killed you!"

"We are not fools, son!" Kepa retorted with red anger, "We are willing to fight in defense of ourselves and others, but protocols should have been followed. Investigations and observations should have taken place first!"

"There you go again with stupid, useless procedures! That wouldn't have brought peace! My actions! My weapons! They are the key to achieving peace! You are aging, senile relics of the past! I do not need _you_ , your guidance _or_ your teachings! Nor do I regret my actions against the pandas!"

"THEN YOU ARE EXILED! AS WELL AS THOSE WHO ARE ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS CRIME! YOU ARE ALL BANISHED!" the king roared. His wife gave a weak gasp, as though fate had stabbed a psychological knife through her heart. "Oh…" is all she can force out of her mangled throat, all she can conjure out of her scarred mind, her tortured heart. But this would only be the beginning. "Antelopes! Suppress these traitors now!"

At the king's command, the royal guard rushed in, spears, swords and lances pointing warningly at Shen and his wolf squad. Shen remained intrepidly dauntless, however, and strutted forward a defiant step and arched his posture even taller – a sign of a peacock's challenge of superiority. His feathertips momentarily brushed his sword before gripping it in a raging heartbeat.

"I REFUSE!" Shen shouted back, thrusting his sword downwards into the floor. He locked eyes with his sire, glimpsing his father's blue eyes beginning to shoot off sparks, "I will not take this as my reward for protecting China!"

"You're RIGHT!" his father thundered, his haze of rage lifting to give solemn, foreboding clarification, "For your crimes, you are very eligible to be deserving of death via public execution!"

Shen could only stare in disbelief and unfocused rage. Torturous hurt started to freeze over and shatter his heart.

"But your mother and I _love_ you too much to be able to do _that_ ," the king went on. Shen couldn't know, but his father was barely keeping the crack out of his steeliness of his voice. "We would rather see you and the wolves banished for what you've done rather than condemn you and leave the people to decide your fate," the king went on icily, before motioning to the antelope troops, "Detain them right here whilst Queen Zhang and I discuss banishment terms." The soldiers nodded obediently, the tips of their weapons only a meter's length away from the murderers.

The King and Queen walked away up the stairwell. They arrived at their son's abandoned quarters and entered, reminiscing whilst retrieving all of their son's belongings.

* * *

 _ **10 years ago…**_

"Son, we are very unspeakably proud that you stood your ground," Zhang squawked, voice firm yet still nurturing.

"Those are precisely the skills a prince needs," added Kepa.

"But," Zhang continued, a slight sternness descending in the bedroom, "While Riyo might have displayed disrespect to your colour and your health, you need not have gone so far as to leave gaping wounds over his chest and head. He is going to have to miss school while he recuperates because you allowed yourself to utilize thuggishness as a first resort. Going to the principal or telling us would've worked better in many ways."

"That is a coward's way, isn't it?" little Shen had innocently queried, as he sat on his bed and looked at his toes.

"Son," spoke up Kepa, "It is never cowardly to stand for what is right. But you show weakness if you let yourself lash out at anyone freely on a whim because of pride and fraudulence. A quick blow or two could have settled it, but you severely wounded the goose and left him bleeding more than just his pride. You think you served justice but instead you showed others a ruthless, rampaging nature within yourself that surfaces whenever things don't go your way."

"I thought rulers are respected, and the same goes for their kids," pondered Shen.

"Respect is a gift that should be reciprocated," his mother replied, "He provoked you, you righteously retaliated. But you didn't respect him when he acknowledged his mistakes and asked for mercy. All of the witnesses testify that Riyo had verbally yielded, but you only ramped up your attack on him. How do you expect him to respect you now?"

"Because I won?" Shen said a little bluntly.

"Having power doesn't mean you can throw your weight around, child," Zhang chided, softly shaking her head, "It means being able to apply the rules of moral justice in your life."

"And that way of thinking should be intertwined with power," continued Kepa, "Mixed together, melded together – like Yin and Yang – to create harmony for all. That is what is also needed to become a great leader to others."

5-year-old Shen crooned softly in deep thought, a bird's murmur barely above a whisper's level.

"Think about that for a little while, and then get some rest. We will wake you for dinner. You have had a trying day, little one. We are proud of you, but also remember what we said to you just now," the king concluded, before turning on his heel and leaving the room with his wife.

What they couldn't know was that Shen had been visited by 10-year-old Quan, who had heard about the incident, sympathized with the young prince and wanted to offer some consolation to him. The wolf cub's line of thinking – provided by his troubled culture – only fed the embers that had remained in Shen after the king and queen's gentle deliverance of wisdom. Shen overlooked his wrongs, and had asked Quan to sneak in a small crate of kiddies' fireworks for him to "experiment" with. Quan, oh loyal Quan, had ever so readily and happily complied.

And instead of getting his rest, the little prince sneaked out of his room and used his adorable nature to get the palace's scroll keeper to lend him the parchments on his parents' inventions. Shen spent the rest of the afternoon studying up on what made the creations of his parents tick, what ignited them and sent them whooshing off into a colourful, happy light show of oblivion. He had a project in mind, and he wanted to surprise his parents, so he made sure that he hid his work before his parents reentered the room hours later after dusk to collect him for dinner.

* * *

 _ **6 years ago…**_

"Heavens' sakes, Shen. This is a lesson we've gone over with you many times!" his mother sighed irritably as she and Kepa marched into his room.

"Mother! Every time the teacher left the room, they _all_ would insult and slight me! They'd take great joy in telling me how my white feathers was a sign that I would doom the kingdom, that I was physically unfit to lead, that even a wolf – a species that they _dare_ to go around discriminating out loud – would make a better leader than _me_."

"You are falling into their trap. Your peers wouldn't know the ramifications of making you look bad, but if you succumb to their jabs, then the majority of Gongmen will view you the same way. A ruler, when insulted, does not instigate food quarrels in the dining halls nor shirk classes and make a plan to drench the entire syndicate by compromising the classroom roofs just before a downpour of rain – which subsequently caused significant property damage."

"Then what was I to do?!" Shen shot back, his own irritation spiking.

"Ignore _them_. We know you are capable of fighting back, and it's good that you didn't choose violence this time, but you still reacted by significantly sabotaging the running of the school. Lots of innocents who didn't partake in slighting you have now had their routines and opportunities shoved aside, while workers exploit themselves to try to quickly ensure and reinstate the acceptable quality of the building which is supposed to provide fair opportunities for all children."

"Fair opportunities for all children except me, perhaps," bristled Shen with dry annoyance, "You claim you have the power to enact justice yet why don't you banish the families of those who levy repeat offences on me."

"See it diplomatically, son," Kepa finally spoke up, taking the reins from his wife, "We can banish the offenders, yes, but they have not committed the worst of crimes, and now whole families will be swearing vengeance upon the city which threw them out to die."

"Do we _always_ have to look at things _diplomatically_?" droned Shen in vexation, a loathing starting to fester towards the d-word.

"If unless there is no other option, then yes," his father replied.

"Speaking of diplomacy," Queen Zhang spoke next, returning her child's attention to her (as well as further bristling his chagrin – the word had been spoken _again_ ), "Peacekeeping requires interaction. Shen, are you socializing with others? Or do you just keep to yourself in the playground and the classroom? Maybe that's why they view you as a weak leader. One with responsibilities for the welfare of others needs to communicate and enjoy being able to hang out with them. Treat them wisely and with reverence, and they will reciprocate it – even if it may take them years to do so."

"We have to head to a meeting with the Board of Agriculture now," the king piped up, "We won't be back until late. Let your thoughts dwell on our teachings, son, and collect when the servants tell you that dinner's ready. Goodbye for now, son, we love you."

With that, the king and queen gave affectionate beak nuzzles to the side of their son's head before departing for their carriage.

But Shen didn't dwell on their wisdoms. He got out his projects and tinkered with them. He had gotten more polished and sophisticated with his experimentations, and he was certain that in a year or two he'd be ready to unveil his work and make his parents truly proud of him.

That night he fetched his dinner and brought it up to his room where continued to tinker away until he glimpsed his parents' return onto the castle grounds. Then again he quickly hid is work like he had always been doing day after day since he was 5, quickly got himself ready for bed and was sleeping by the time his parents quietly checked on him, dreaming of the glorious day that would come when he finally revealed a new weapon based upon his parents' design that would usher in a new era.

* * *

 _ **4 years ago…**_

"Your mother and I thought it would be for the best that we transfer your education to the boundaries of our castle, with none of your peers to bother you, and with a teacher best suited to not only tutor you, but also to stand in for us when we are away for royal business," King Kepa reported the deliberated decision to his inconvenienced son.

 _"Sure,"_ Shen thought, his mental vision glowing with the illuminating mists of rage, though he did well to keep it from showing on his physical features, _"Now you decide to protect me after all the deliberate harm and joyful damage that those kids I call my classmates wreaked upon me."_

The teachers at Shen's school had given their students a special assignment: to individually create a special project that would surprise them and the parents of the student. Shen was thrilled at this opportunity to showcase his years of work, which had climaxed when he had built a small wing-held prototype firearm that he would use to demonstrate the potential fighting prowess of a firework. The day had come when the students would present their projects. The presentations would happen that evening whilst the students left their masterpieces stored in the school's main hall.

Unfortunately whilst waiting for the sun to set, Shen couldn't know that several student jackasses had decided that it would be fun tampering with his creation and watching him fail. The unfortunate events that evening transpired with results such as Shen's firearm backfiring and setting the hall alight. No one had been hurt – everyone had been evacuated in time – and the jackass kids responsible had been expelled, but all of Shen's work had burned to ashes in front of him. His parents decided then to take matters into their own hands to console him.

"Son, why didn't you tell us of your work before tonight brought about its ruination?" the queen queried, motherly concern now flooding into her voice.

"It was meant to be a wonderful surprise for you," Shen whispered before belting out his rage, "It was _meant_ to be a _bloody surprise_ for you before those _bastards ruined_ it! I wanted to impress you, to please you, to finally give you a true reason to be proud of me! Then those eff-tards ruin it all!"

"We _are_ so proud of you, son," Kepa crooned, fatherly warmth leaking in his baritone, "There is no need to invest tirelessly into matters such as this. But if you choose to continue with your work, at least now you will not be disturbed anymore. We've got a kindly old goat to tutor you and act as your caregiver whilst we are away. Your mother and I hope that that does the trick for you, and that you will be able to find fulfillment in your endeavours from this point on."

"I will, Papa," Shen promised, and for the smallest moment his eyes flickered with darkness, "I will."

* * *

 _ **2 years ago…**_

When the King and Queen returned from their week-long gathering with other monarchs, they were horrified to find their 13-year-old son comatose and in the healers' wing.

The Soothsayer gloomily reported how this came to be.

The goat and the peachick had just finished another day of tutoring, and Shen had wanted to go out into the city to _really_ enjoy himself with _others_ for, quite possibly, the first time in his life. His kindly goat tutor had recommended that he bring a guard or two for an escort, but Shen had declined, for once seeing himself as an equal being with his people – not one of superior status or royalty.

Unfortunately, Shen's idealism was brutally crushed when he stumbled upon the children who had been expelled because of _him_ (in _the children's_ point of view). Shen's rival contemporaries had swarmed him, dealing blow after blow against the outnumbered prince. By the time nearby adults had realized the unfolding situation, the young peacock had sustained a substantial beating.

At this, the Gongmen monarchs had given orders for the delinquents and their families to be permanently banished from Gongmen.

When the young prince awoke a few days later, his parents hugged them with warm, open, joyful wings. They held him close to their chests, close to their hearts. They promised that they would never lose him again.

So when Shen was well enough, his father and mother sent out messengers who would request for the best kung fu teachers in all the land, for their little boy. All whilst this was happening, Shen continued to work away with his experimental fireworks weapon launcher.

* * *

 _ **1 year ago…**_

"Son, you have to _rest_."

Shen continued sketching away, his father's pleas going unheard. His sire tried again.

"Son, you've been working non-stop for the past two days. You haven't given yourself any sleep, any food or drink, or even any enjoyment."

"This is what I was meant for. What I was born to do. Can't you see that, Papa?" Shen grumbled, though his protestation came out as a croak from his worn out throat.

"This is _not_ you. The growing, handsome prince that I used to know would study hard, play harder, strive to spend every single moment of complete freedom with his parents. What _happened_ to yourself, son?"

"I have to show everyone and _you_ that I am _worthy_ of being your successor."

The answer stopped Kepa cold. A minute of contemplative silence passed before he formed another reply.

"You are worthy of ruling, of leading, of being our son, Shen. You always have," the king spoke softly, though each word was firm and sure. He could hear his wife quietly entering the quarters and he pressed his fatherly request. "But if you keep on expending yourself on little matters such as this, you will not have the energy or the vitality to deal with the larger matters that the future will bring."

The queen then spoke up.

"Shen, you're too young to deeply concern yourself about what is and what will be. Work hard, but with patience. Engage in your endeavours, but also enjoy yourself. One deserves a period of relaxation every now and then. How about we have a family's night out? We can go shopping, dine out, enjoy the people's entertainment–"

" _Please_ ," was all that Shen requested, head bowed as his toils slowed for only a moment, "Please leave me be."

The king and queen shared a saddened, resigned glance of surrender. If this was what their son wanted…

"Alright," Zhang replied to her offspring, "Have a wonderful evening son. But please remember to _rest_ yourself – in mind, body and spirit."

Mother and Father left.

But Shen didn't rest that night. Only when he fell severely sick did he learn to rest. But even then he only rested physically. Metaphysically and spiritually however, he still toiled and expended himself away on how to bring about the fruition of his creation.

Over time, Shen healed physically, and his body grew stronger, but his mind and heart slipped further and further away…

* * *

 _ **Present Time…**_

 _"Where did we go wrong? Why did our failures cost us THIS_ _badly?"_

Those were the silent, burning reveries that swamped the depths of the King and Queen as they finished collecting the last of their son's property. Shen deserved at least to bring them on his journey as quiet yet persistent reminders of his parents' undying love for him.

"Mai!" the queen summoned her head maiden, who reported swiftly and solemnly.

"Yes Your Majesty?"

"Collect the best food to pack from the kitchen."

The old sheep servant nodded and went off to organize the arrangements. Even if the Queen withheld the purpose of the stored banquet, Mai saw the haunted look in her monarchs' eyes, and she had caught wind of the latest, verbal showdown between parents and child.

The monarchs – the _parents_ – walked back down the flights of stairs. Each step cracked their heart a little more. Each level of descent dragged their spirits down to wallow in further, magnified, _unending_ misery.

By the time they had reached the bottom, Mai had reported back with their request fulfilled.

"Here is all the best food that we managed to pack, as well as 4 large canteens of water," she hollowly declared as she handed them the food bag. Kepa nodded with shattered gratitude as he took the bag with a wing and placed it inside the large travelling rucksack that was his – until now, where he would soon pass this belonging of his off to his son prematurely. He would hand his only son a farewell gift, without even passing away before doing so, and whilst also sending his _only child_ to _die_.

But somehow, Kepa knew, that when Shen was gone, his time in this world would quickly draw to a close, and that his last breath would be spent on his deathbed in a quiet, pleading apology to a son that was no longer there, no longer _his_.

Seeing as her husband was quietly engaging an unbearable burden at the moment, the queen gave the order that would start the hasty, private ritual of bitter ordainment.

"Take them outside," she said to the antelope guards, her voice barely concealing the all-consuming guilt of a parent that has failed, and failed _hard_.

* * *

By the time the accused and the enforcers had gathered outside, the king had steadied himself. He had faced the truth that lay deep within the confines of the darkness.

The being that stood in front of him was a being that the King himself had devoted his service to eradicating. Murderer. Terrorist. Slaughterer. Genocidal Xenophobic. It was his _duty_ , his _responsibility_ , his _life_ , to bring justice to his people and punish those who did them wrong.

But despite all that…

The being that stood in front of him was his _son_.

 _His only child._

One that he had spent years to raise, to nurture, to teach, to guide. To love.

Kepa and his wife had argued for their son. Defended him with a parent's valour. Made excuses for him. Given him unconditional care. Turned a blind eye to the darkness that had festered in their son's heart until it was too late.

And so, despite the heavy cost of this decision, despite the burden of the consequences that _would_ come, despite the fact that this act would taint his family's honour and tear to pieces his heart, that of his wife and those of their ancestors, he let go.

Of everything that had to do with his son. His name. His birthright. The life and love of a parent. The life and love of his son. Kepa let it all go.

"You, and those who affiliated themselves with you, are hereby banished for all eternity from the province of Gongmen for your genocidal crimes. You will leave by noon. Should you return to this land, every citizen will have the right to kill you, or to report you to higher authorities who will then hunt you down and execute you."

All the while his father said this, Shen kept a livid stare locked onto his parents, and on those around him who remained loyal to _them_. How _dare_ they. How dare they _all_.

Shen's father stepped towards him before he could utter a coherent response.

"You will be given this travel pack to _assist_ you in your exile. To remind you of _us_. To remind you of what you once _were_. What you _could've_ been. What you could _be_."

Kepa reached out his wing to hand over the rucksack to his son – _no_ – this criminal.

But Shen _refused_. He _shoved_ it and his father _back_. The antelope troops raised their weapons, but relented at the silent, forlorn motion of their queen.

"You think I need _this_?" the young prince spat, shaking a raging wing at the bag his former father held, "You think I'm _weak_?! Like always?! NO! I will accept your terms for exile, but I don't need _that_."

Shen paused, and closed his eyes for a moment, willing away his burning tears. He would not regret this.

"And I don't need _you_."

He didn't see any change on his faces' parents, nor could he feel their blood freeze with icy dread. So Shen _continued_ and barked out his final challenge with undying hatred in his eyes, and fatal venom in his voice.

"Mark my words! I will be _back_ one day to take what is _rightfully_ mine! And you _weaklings_ will not stop me! _Everyone_ will bow before me!"

He then turned to his squad of wolves.

"Come, my disciples. It seems that Gongmen no longer needs us. For now…"

Away they marched, knowing that with their current, fatigued, bloodied state they were no match for a full, fresh and unhindered army of antelope soldiers. It would be foolhardy to attempt anything provocative for now. So they left.

They left everything and everyone that hated them behind.

Seeing his son disappear out of the palace gates for the final time was the nail that shattered his walls of resolve. Seeing his only child not look back once as he disappeared forever into the hellish horizons made the unmerciful floods flow.

"SHEN! NO! I'M SORRY!" Zhang screamed out suddenly, her desolation ripping apart the heavens.

 _That was it._

King Kepa collapsed to his knees and wailed pitifully.

"Son! Oh _son_! What have we _done_ to you…?"

He felt the darkness take over as his sobs mercilessly thrashed his body, and pain struck through and shattered his heart like lightning.

He heard two last pleas before oblivion mercifully pulled him away from this unforgiving, cruel world.

 _"Kepa!"_

 _"Your Highness!"_

* * *

 _"The young prince was banished from the city forever. But he swore revenge on all who had wronged him, and vowed to reclaim everything that was rightfully his. Shen warned that someday he would return. And when he did, all of China would bow at his feet."_


	6. Act I - The Quest

**And so we come to the end of the prologue and to the start of Act 1 with this milestone vignette chapter!**

 **And you'll notice that some of the wordplay in this I took from one of my other main projects,** _ **WITCH**_ **– which I promise I'll update soon!**

 **Right after I update** _ **Wild Love**_ **– sorry all for the wait!**

* * *

 **Act I** **–** **The Quest**

The light is generous.

It gifts all sentient beings with an objective to strive for.  
It's a candle even in the most sinister shadows of the darkest night.  
Our fears and insecurities vanish among the rays of salvation.  
And those rays shine not only upon us, but upon others as well.

You have your own bright spark within yourself.  
You can see the same spark within the hearts of others.  
Life is bound together in light.

But not all light is natural or benevolent.

As mortals, we can commit error.  
Some wrongs are insignificantly small.  
Others are irredeemably large.  
Our light can become tainted and corrupt.

That's why the darkness exists.  
To balance out the light.  
To open a void in our hearts for guidance to flow in from the Heavens.

Ignore the darkness at your own peril.


	7. Thirty Years Onward

**Thirty Years Onward**

The thick winter air flowed in through open hatches and ruffled our fur with biting chills. Half-blind from the blistering snow, I defiantly trudged my way over the frosty planks of the external observation decks. I passed several of my troops, taking their places on their new shift. The feel of our armour had plummeted in the freezing climate, but none of these inconveniences – _none of them_ – held any sort of power over us. They will not sway us from our purpose. We wolves were born to fight and die for glory. Horrible winter is crushed underfoot like fragile, insignificant insects. This weather is no obstacle to a wolf of honour and valour.

Columns of smoke rise to greet us from the factory below. I inhale gratefully, and welcome the mixture of smog into my throat. It tastes _good_. It _feels_ good. That is the appetizer of the fruit which we have toiled hard for 30 years to produce. I walk swiftly over the connecting rope bridges, letting honed canine instincts guide me to our home away from home.

I still remember the day after we begun the Giant Panda Purge. Instead of Gongmen hailing us as timeless heroes, we were cast out as eternal, despicable villains. How _shameful_. They would have been pillaged and decimated without our selfless intervention. And banishing their own prince to give us the message? Unspeakable.

Well, if Gongmen wishes to be conquered, then they'll receive their wish. Not from the Pandas, though. We spent a good deal of our unjust exile exterminating the disgusting fat vermin. Village after village. City after city. Town after town. Settlement after settlement. Our cleansing spree raged like unquenchable wildfire throughout China. Our battles, though costly at times, also yielded great reward. Our ranks regenerated. Wolves who had been estranged from the public life due to discriminatory suspicion, joined our family with wide acclaim and celebration. The women amongst our warrior tribe nestle in the deep caves of the Pamir Mountain Pass, homes which we have spent years cultivating and constructing. They will help us repopulate further our numbers. And when the time is right, we will join the rest of the people of China in unity, security, and celebration – brought about by the magnificent endeavours of our Lord Shen to unite the land in peace, harmony and justice through his inspirational conquests.

But it seems that will have to wait, however, as I enter our factory. It is the only one we have so far, and the conditions of our life in exile does not lend us any kind favours for it. We've had to postpone the building of our lord's plethora of cannons in favour of building up the standard arsenal to equip our troops. Swords, lances, spears, bows, arrows, armour, axes, maces and knives. All of us spend a great deal of our lives training ourselves in the art of our weapons, so as to prepare ourselves for the retaking of our lord's city, and from then on, the conquering of China.

But the prince insists on building his first prototype before we embark on our arduous quest. He advises us all that it will help us and guide us, symbolically and physically. And so for the past few weeks we have committed ourselves to creating our leader's preliminary vision of the ultimate weapon. But as I said, life in these barren and frozen wastelands does no favours for our drudgery. The numbing, icy air deadens our minds and suppresses our labouring paws. That forces us to double our efforts and stretch out our concentration to breaking point to execute the measurements of the machine to perfection. We would do so happily to ensure the coming glory of our lord.

But another, more imminent problem persists. We lack the resources in this environment to finish the final touches to our elaborate, metallic fabrication. I personally plan to lead a raid on nearby civilizations who have what we require in order to fulfill the final obligatory preparation as instructed by our prince. But first I need to report the current situation and seek the permission I need from our sovereign himself.

Ah, excellent. He comes this way.

My toned legs help me execute a fiery leap onto the platform on which our lord stands, observing all the important arrangements transpiring below him. He turns to me expectantly as I land beside him. We are both filled to the brim with burning, hungry anticipation.

"It's almost done Lord Shen, but we have run out of metal."

Our prince has already clairvoyantly collected the concerned thoughts of his faithful disciples. With sagacious poise, he shows no hesitation as he delivers his next command, pragmatically and prosaically.

"Search the farthest villages! Find more metal! China will be mine!"

I acknowledge the wisdom of his order with an enthusiastic salute, then I turn and walk away with briskness in my step to assemble my search battalion.

This mission will certainly be sublime.


	8. The Dragon Warrior

**The Dragon Warrior**

Far away, in a vastly different valley, inhabited by vastly different animals with vastly different desires, there stood a fledged village just before a gigantic sugarloaf mountain. The inhabitants of the village were fortunate to be guarded by security of the utmost capability. That security was none other than the Furious Five – the most heroic and valourous Kung Fu warriors in all of China. There was also Grandmaster Shifu – successor to the late legendary Master Oogway and the master who taught and raised the Five – as well as the final big bonus to top off the citizens' defense. The Dragon Warrior.

The Dragon Warrior is the pinnacle of mortal achievement. He would be your ideal knight in shining armour, the most prosperous fruit of the Earth, the face of Peace throughout the land. He would also be something out of a fairytale, if one would wonder the validity of these claims. Yes, the Dragon Warrior started out his heroic career as an underdog, the runt of the litter, the village disgrace. But ever since the Second Valley Crisis over a year ago, he had gone from pillock to pride, imbecile to idol. He had risen above his burdened shortcomings and transfigured into the light that shone through the darkness of Tai Lung to lead the valley to salvation.

So now, a year onwards, his story had amassed him many admirers and enthusiasts. They looked up to him to uphold the grace, the justice, and the benevolence inherent with the valley's title. The Valley of Peace.

This was a valley where Yin and Yang coexisted in harmony. Where fire and water, earth and air, light and darkness itself manifested themselves in disciplined forms. To maintain peace and goodness for all living beings who sought virtue in a world that could be draconian and fiendish.

The main village, where the Jade Palace was located, was at the center of the Valley of Peace, standing just before the tallest mountain of the slade. The Jade Palace, home to the highest masters of Kung Fu, was located at the top of the mountain, behind the Flight of the Thousand Stairs of Virtue.

Two young kids from the village – a bunny girl by the name of Tao and a pig boy christened by the moniker of Pumer – had raced their way up the steps with the youthful vigour of childhood after they had finished their morning chores and tea. They had brought their action figures of their two favourite warriors with them, and as they awaited to meet their heroes after they had finished their training, the two children began to roleplay, the bunny as the tiger lady of elegant devastation, and the pig as the panda of benevolent and nuanced wisdom.

"And then, the Dragon Warrior joined the Furious 5!" squeaked Tao, swinging her Po action figure around.

"And they became the most awesomest Kung Fu team ever!" concluded Pumer. His Tigress action figure was clasped in his hoof.

"Enough talk! Let's fight!" Tao said, deepening her little voice to mimic the heavyweight panda. She and Pumer locked their toys together in miniature model combat, before they heard the sounds of six certain martial arts masters undergoing hardcore drills in the hall before them.

"29! 30! 31! 32!" muffled voices screamed from the hall's private interiors. The two kids gasped silently in total delirium.

"Listen! You can hear the Dragon Warrior training right now!" squealed Tao, her little bunny feet hopping up and down excitedly on the spot.

* * *

This is Po.

A triumphant underdog. A glorious warrior. The definitive trailblazer in the uncharted ethereal territory of Kung Fu.

And yet, inside he feels like none of these things. He merely views himself as the redeemed village disgrace. A peasant pupil elevated to dignitary status by his beloved teacher. A compassionate and caring brother and son to his closest friends and kin.

Inside, he still sees himself as a humble panda servant, rather than a glorified martial idol.

Of course though, the rest of his friends, his family, and the citizens of the valley think otherwise. He's the freaking Dragon Warrior for crying out loud. Last month, an extensive and extravagant festival – organized by none other than the Father of Po himself – was hosted in the valley to celebrate Po's 30th birthday. Every denizen in the Valley of Peace joined in the exuberant celebrations. Po himself though, had felt overwhelmed by the people's awe of him. Tigress had found him meditating quietly next to Oogway's Sacred Peach Tree (of Heavenly Wisdom), and had persuaded him to join in, though his usual happy-go-lucky mood was subtly subdued, according to the gallant tiger lady.

But when the frenetic heat had eventually subsided, Po was back to his normal self. As of late, he had spent the mornings training hard and early with his 5 brothers and sisters. Every afternoon was spent scarfing down tofu, stew, and dumplings. And every recent night had been utilized for exercising his skills in a variety of social activities: painting, tea concoction, cards, jokes, writing from the heart – all that good jazz.

This afternoon, Po and his friends were busy hosting a private stuffing-your-mouth competition.

* * *

"33!"

"No! Stop him!"

"34!"

"It's too dangerous!"

"35!"

"Po, stay focused!"

"36!"

"Is he gonna _do_ it?!"

"37!"

"How is he doing that with his _face_?!"

Two chopsticks slowly lowered one final spherical pastry into the panda's mouth.

"38 Bean Buns!" he declared with beaming pride. Well, as much pride one could display through a muzzle completely stuffed with baked goodies.

Mantis' antennae and appendages twiddled uncontrollably with excitement. "Yes! You did it! You _monster_!" the bug admirably chirped.

Viper, who had just momentarily fainted from shock, revived just in time to hear Monkey spur Po on.

"Keep going! Hit 40!"

"He'll never hit 40!" burst out Crane. Anymore unbelievable achievements from his friends and he'd die of amazement.

"You guys wait, and we'll get to 40!" Po said, yanking the bun bowl with both paws.

"Do it!" grinned Tigress in feverish anticipation.

"No problem!" shot back Po, utilizing two pairs of chopsticks to achieve the culinary mission. He howled madly in success as the two buns were lodged in the wet mass of slobbered pastries that filled his intake porthole. Now all he had to do was wait for 5 seconds and the record would be in the bag. He used each second to spend a moment studying his friends' faces. Tigress wore a look that sent fiery determination and encouragement to his heart. Poor Viper looked ready to faint again. Mantis continued gazing, eyes wide with childlike admiration. Crane's beak was widely split horizontally, his hat almost tipped to the point of falling off his knobbly head. And Monkey had folded his arms tight behind his head, and his teeth were gritted in tormented suspense.

The 5 seconds passed.

"Yeah! YEAH!" grunted Po, voice muffled behind his clogged jaws.

An extra moment passed before his friends exploded in energetic rejoice. Monkey jumped up and down in a jig.

"Well done Po!" whooped Crane, clapping his friend on the back, which involuntarily triggered the panda into spitting up.

"Two new records in one day!" squeaked Mantis just before a flying wet pastry bowled him over. Tigress used her paw to block several buns which bounced her way. "Your training has paid off," she remarked jokingly to the panda.

"Oh my gods! Anymore of that and I would have suffered a heart attack. Honest!" squealed Viper, looking rather squeamish and greener than usual.

Just then, a gong sounded in the distance. "Oh, Master Shifu's calling!" Po remembered suddenly, making his way to the doors of the training hall, "Gotta go, see you all later!"

Every afternoon, the grandmaster would tutor the Dragon Warrior in extensive lessons of Oogway's teachings to further broaden the panda's knowledge of the art. Talented as he was, Po knew he was nothing more than a temporal speck in the ongoing currents of Kung Fu's flowing river. To fulfill his role, and to become more than he was now, he had to extend himself. To push the limits. Exceed the boundaries. Learning to do just that was what constituted his every afternoon lesson with the elderly red panda. And Shifu could definitely say with great pride that Po was passing through every lesson so far with flying colours.

As his friends waved goodbye from the snack table, Po remembered one final errand he quickly had to carry out. For this task he had to act in-character, though this was more for the sake of his friends than for the self-satisfaction of his gut.

"You guys will save those for me, right?"

 _No way they would eat those buns covered in my spit. But I'm gonna make sure of that – just in case – for the sake of their hygiene._


	9. The Passion of Life

**The Passion of Life**

"Commander Quan, we are approaching the village now," reported Captain Bolin. Quan acknowledged his second-in-command's account with a "That is good to hear. Anything else that is worthy to note before we proceed?"

"They don't have any defenses, nor any sentinels placed out on watch duty."

"Thank you Captain. You are dismissed," said Quan, waving off his subordinate. The Wolf Commander was left to his own scornful thoughts on his views of said village's defenses.

 _"What kind of boneheads would leave themselves unguarded? Even if they think they're pacifists, that kind of lifestyle will only get them condemned and conquered by others. Doesn't matter if they're hospitable. We have only come to place them and their assets under our power."_

He looked down upon the humble town that lay far below him.

 _"Pitiful, those with power should exercise it fully."_

Quan gave the signal to the battalion that was formed behind him.

"It is time we show the power and might of China's True Saviour to these lowlifes!"

With that, the archers fired their ropes and arrows, and the wolfpack went forth to war.

* * *

"Inner Peace."

The sagely red panda smiled to himself as he let the universe's energy flow through him like a sparkling blue river. He repeated his mantra, of the one thing he had finally managed to achieve only just last year, after many decades of striving and sacrificing so much for it.

"Inner Peace."

A splash followed by a tenor yelp abruptly pulled him from his drifting cogitations.

"Ah, Inner Peace," he sighed in slight frustration. His best student could still cock up embarrassingly every now and then.

"Master Shifu, what have we got?" inquired Po as he sprinted into the grotto, "Pirates? Vandals of Volcano Mountain? Whatever it is, I will take them down – 'cause I am in a mood. I need to get something done, you know what I mean? Uh, what are you doing?"

Po had asked that question, for he was now witnessing his mentor lower his stance ever so slowly, with timely and accumulated grace and wisdom.

"One of Master Oogway's final teachings," responded Shifu, voice barely above a whisper, for all of his concentration and energy was focused on a small wet speck that dropped from a stalactite above him. His foot traced over the droplet that had spattered amongst the floor, and he slowly positioned his arms to catch the next one. Po noticed that the elderly red panda moved with just enough pace that not a single mote of energy was wasted.

Time slowed as his master caught the next droplet that fell. Shifu's arms gyrated smoothly, and his legs pirouetted with complete efficiency as the droplet slid from one arm to the other, and back again. Finally, the red panda let it slide off onto a young sapling, which tipped over and reunited the lone speck of water with its clan mates in the grotto's pond.

"Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh! Awesome!" Po's stunned voice rang throughout the cavern, "How did you do that?!"

"Inner Peace," replied Shifu with a sagely smile.

"Inner Piece… that's cool," replied the student to his master, "Inner Piece of what?"

"It is the next phase of your training," said Shifu, temporarily passing behind a boulder to get to his student.

However, Po was stumped to see that his teacher had apparently roamed nonchalantly to the cliffside, all without being seen passing by.

"Every master must find his path to Inner Peace," continued Shifu, stepping again behind another rock that towered over him. Having just absorbed his master's new power, Po was still left half-stunned when the red panda again somehow materialized behind him, calmly perched on his staff, which stood perfectly balanced in the middle of the pond.

"Some choose to meditate in a cave just like this, without the slightest taste of food, or water."

Po's gut audibly grimaced at the new metaphysical assignment.

"Or…?" queried the giant panda, trying to find an alternative way which didn't involve severe hunger pains.

"Some find it through pain and suffering," his teacher answered, "Po, the day you were chosen as Dragon Warrior, was the _worst_ day of my life."

The monochromatic hulk scowled, and was about to open his muzzle to protest, when his teacher continued on.

"By far. It was the worst, most _painful_ , horrifying, _mind-destroying_ moment–"

"Okay, I get it…" sighed Po in mild irritation. His master wasn't finished yet though.

"That I have ever experienced," Shifu finished, topping off his trollful recollection with hammed up shudders. "But once I realized that the problem was not you–"

"Good…" inserted Po.

"But within me, I found Inner Peace, and was able to harness the Flow of the Universe."

"So that's it?" prompted the black and white being, "I just need Inner Peace? My innards are already super-super peaceful, so all I need to do is just get this thing going! Inner Peace, you're going down!"

Shifu both inwardly sighed and chuckled. Only Po would approach a challenge which took a lifetime of mastery with an abundance of energy that only a cub could have. These kinds of life goals took eons to achieve with flying colours, and only few could master and wield these elements of vitality to the highest and most proficient level. In the undertaking of this moral quest, the fledging Dragon Warrior would be facing a task insurmountable to the unworldly.

After all, it took him all until the ripe old age of 65 to master the harmony of his own soul. The betrayal of his first son and his failure to raise his other surrogate children properly had weighed heavily on his heart. Until the day that the Giant Panda came into their lives. They had not been welcoming or hospitable to him at first, all of them thinking that Po had reaped the gifts of the crops that they had sown. But when he had become a saving light in the darkness that had threatened to overwhelm them, they had all finally seen him as being worthy of the title, and the responsibility.

And the _burden_.

But Shifu was torn away from his contemplative musings by the voice of his beloved daughter ringing out with urgent news for the Dragon Warrior.

"Po! Bandits! Approaching the Musicians' Village!"

"Danger," growled Po in eager anticipation for the daring heroics that were soon to follow, "Tell those musicians to start playing some action music 'cause it is on!"

The panda had always wanted to say that line. It was like living out one of those stage plays that many playwrights and the actors that they hired would perform in villages from time to time. For some, it was even a lucrative way of life, and they travelled from province to province, performing and entertaining and teaching multitudes of masses in many subtle, many different ways.

Po's favourite out of all the plays that he had watched throughout his three decades of life was one he saw only once when he was a cub of around 6 years of age. It was called _The Four Dragons_ , and aside from its compelling tale with multifaceted characters, Po also remembered the play fondly for its great action choreography and music.

This battle that was about to transpire was yet another thing he could cross off his "To Do Kung Fu Bucket List". It was gonna be complete, with bold real-life rescues, high-stake close-quarters combat, now with the chance to have action music to top it off. Talk about having a cake and eating it too.

Looks like the task of Inner Peace would have to wait until later to be attended to.

"Don't worry Master," he called to Shifu as he sprinted out of the grotto, "I'll master Inner Peace as soon as I get back."

"No snack stops this time!" Tigress called to the martial hulk as she sped past him on their run down the mountain path. At a cliff ledge further down, Crane was waiting to pick them up. Well, to be honest, he only needed to pick Po up, for Tigress was light enough on her feet to make jumps of great height and distance with the utmost of ease.

"Haha! Snack stops," Po laughed dismissively. They weren't _that_ late last time… were they?

"Wait, you _serious_?"

* * *

The village of Artisan was home to many gifted and talented people. They used their inherent aptitude and abilities to produce so much benefits for others. The geese and the pigs trained their forefront appendages to make the best metal and clay handicrafts in the Valley of Peace. The bunnies had a special knack for music, their folk tunes bringing animals from all around China in special visits just to hear their culturally unique musical aesthetics. That was why the cliffside town had also been given the honorary title of "The Musicians' Village".

Said exceptional settlement was also being currently bombarded by grey-furred demons from above.

Roped arrows provided ziplines for the hungry canines to slide down on. Some projectiles landed safely on uninhabited rocky plains, whilst others crashed down through the open hatches and roofs of houses, some even spearing through unlucky townspeople.

The wolves cared not for the bloodshed or the devastation of civilization. Their empire would bring true order and peace. These losses were all but a small price to pay. That, and the metal handiworks that the Artisan Village was well known for.

"Get all the metal you can find!" snarled Quan as he landed.

Padded feet beat the hard earth like drums. Doors were ripped off their hinges. Village monuments came toppling down like dominoes when commanders gave signal to their subordinates.

Metallic instruments, metallic pots, even treasured jewellery that was passed down from generation to generation amongst the families of the village was not spared from the hunger of the warmongers.

Those citizens who protested were hammered aside, stabbed through, flattened completely, set alight, and chewed down upon.

Even so, despite the demonic creatures' joy in such warranted destruction, their mission was that of a plundering raid, not a purging eradication.

So it was with great reluctance that Boss Wolf Commander Quan decided to call back his troops to complete their objective.

"That's everything! Let's get out of here!"

As his troops started to fall back one by one, Quan took a look at the metallic loot that they had acquired. That would be more than enough. And the more metal that came home, the happier his master would be. And with his master happy, he was sure his men would get their well-deserved reward by being permitted to dump the cooking pot with an unfortunate pork chop still trapped inside into the pit of the fire of creation. They would enjoy listening to the swine's screams of agony as his body was incinerated into countless burning pieces, and the ashes of what remained were distributed into the crucibles of the cannons.

Before Quan could get comfortable with his thoughts, a glorious battle cry from the heavens above blasted him back to reality. He snarled a curse as he realized that security had finally arrived.

The accursed villagers cheered as their saviours landed in the main square.

A fearsome tiger. An elegant viper. A juggernaut of a monkey. A swift-like-the-wind mantis. A frigidly stoic crane. And…

 _And…_

"Yeah!"

"It's the Dragon Warrior!"

"They've come to save us all!"

No.

No, it was _impossible_.

Improbable!

 _Unthinkable!_

It couldn't be!

And yet, standing before his men, it was all too disturbingly true…

* * *

 **I'm betting that only a few of you will be able to spot the sole** _ **WITCH**_ **reference I made in this chapter.**

 **Tell me in a review whether you can find it or not!**

 **Transformers 0 over the moon and out!**


	10. Village Fight I

**Note that there is a reference to another Chinese character, but it most likely won't be picked up on.**

* * *

 **Village Fight I**

"A _panda_? That's _impossible_!" growled the lead wolf.

"My fist hungers for justice," replied Po in response to the slight. His stomach had the bright idea of giving its own response too. "That was my fist…" Po said in an abashed attempt to cover up his rumbling gut. It usually didn't rumble unless he was hungry – which he wasn't – or unless he had a bad feeling about something unpleasant about to happen.

Po hoped it was just hunger instead.

"Get 'em!" yelled the wolf commander.

"Come on!" yelled Po, leading his friends into a head-on charge.

A wolf had the audacity to swing at the panda, who nimbly sidestepped every aggressive strike. The panda took note that that was just how Tai Lung would have fought, only with more reliance on an artificial weapon rather than utilizing his own living body as one. The wolf, getting more outraged, made the mistake of trying to deliver a power cut. Po easily caught his armoured paw, and with a ricochet of his obese belly, the wolf was sent flying headfirst into a stolen gong, where skull shattered upon meeting thickset brass.

The crowd cheered at first blood, then their attention shifted from the Dragon Warrior to his subordinates.

* * *

This is Master Monkey.

The pinnacle of acrobatics. The striker of unpredictability. A warrior who's might is defined by his compassion and care for others. In his younger days, he spent countless hours of countless days of countless weeks fundraising for charities across the provinces of China. The beloved late Master Oogway taught him how to obtain the treasure of empathy, and so when a young tiger warrior-in-training had arrived in his current village of residence requesting reinforcements for a faraway valley, the simian had jumped at the chance. He had gone from devoting his time to devoting his whole life to protecting the innocent, a decision that always brings joyful tears to his eyes when he remembers that fateful day.

He's the oldest out of his closest friends. At 31, he's like the eldest brother that the others never had. He's in control, he's cool and centered, and he loves and watches over them, making sure they are always happy. His friends value him, and they value his jokes. He's always able to alleviate tension with a few self-deprecating gags. He is always able to make them smile, and every time he sees their eyes brighten it's like he's found an invaluable treasure. He can't imagine a life without any one of his friends by his side, and they can't imagine a life without him.

His kung fu style reflects that. Against opponents, Monkey will always try to take them down with the least pain. A swift kick to the guts, a trip-up via tail sweep, or a double fist strike to the head – any of those moves are bound to be one hit knockouts against lesser trained opponents. And when he is not dispatching opponents with effective attacks, he is giving them warning glances with physical jabs and slights, taunting them, encouraging them to back down, run away or surrender.

If he has to kill, it will be done instantaneously. Two cymbals against the skull is bound to do that.

* * *

This is Master Mantis.

At 29 years of age, he's a paragon of incredible achievement for all of bugdom. From his teenage years of crimefighting, to his relative skill in the field of medicine and beyond. He has the quickest wit of his friends, and something he shares in common with the Dragon Warrior is their ability to learn new skill sets rapidly. Another thing he has in common with the panda is unusual body shapes for beings dedicated to walking the warrior path. Mantis is the complete opposite of the black and white hulky, klutzy fighting machine. He is insect-like, in speed and temper and obviously, size. But like Po, his repertoire and courage more than make up for that.

Mantis is also patient, compassionate, and offers an open and friendly ear. He may be the first to battle, but he is also the first to admit to his vices and his tribulations. And because of that, he is one of the kindest souls you will ever meet. If you ever cross paths with him, he will greet you with a cheerful spirit, a friendly hop, and will take you out for a friendly discussion at a bar. The bar part is if you're old enough though.

But right now, Mantis is in battle. He speeds to other people's rescue, and rapidly strikes down the wicked souls that dare to obliterate harmony. He proudly and resolutely stands by his friends in mortal combat, to shine a light of justice against a world that grows ever increasingly dark. He takes joy in his amiable rapport that he shares with his four comrades – brothers and sisters that he has trained with since adolescence. It is his strength and his shield. He would protect them with all that he is worth, and he knows that they would do the same for him without doubt.

And the same goes for the panda. The insect is happy to the heart to be one of the Dragon Warrior's closest companions.

That's why, using his zippy bug legs, he shoots cymbals to intercept arrows headed straight for the bear, with an urgent shout of concerned alarm.

The panda smiles back with a thumbs up.

* * *

Crane is an aerial creature with a modesty and patience second to that of the Dragon Warrior.

Days that he breaks out in bursts of loftiness and severity are days that are very sinister indeed. Every other passing hour, this master is a bird with a meek yet sturdy personality. He's warm-hearted, tinted with a hint of icy logic. He's leisurely and casual, but he'll keep you on your toes with his intelligent wit and incredible sophistication.

Physically, he is the weakest, but with unspeakable deftness of skill, he turns it into an advantage. Master Shifu has always said to find an opponent's weakness and make them suffer for it. So Crane responded in kind to devoting his training time so the end result has his technique with no visible surface weakness. When he was still alive, Master Oogway had likened the bird's mastery of the style as a perfect illusion of control. Contemporary fellow warrior Master Po described Crane's style as akin to endless deflecting. Which is an accurate description of not only the fighting style of the avian, but also of his morale. Crane is the least likely to be affected by simple, unintelligent words. Sticks and stones can grievously harm him when used with extreme force and grace, but the bird's spirit is as impenetrable as the jade-reinforced structures of his home.

Crane is a hit-and-run fighter, attacking any who are foolish enough to step into range, then gaining altitude before they can deal back damage. Many warriors, both grounded and aerial, have fallen to his talons and wingtips. Combining incredible speed and force with magnificent strategy, the avian master easily swats aside the invading wolves as if they were hip plush dolls.

Which is excellent, effective, and wholly satisfying to him. His limbs strike out in defense of the weak, and in protective support of his family. His eyes scan for threats of the present and the future, and he rushes forward with no hesitation to selflessly deal with the dilemmas, even though it could cost him his life one day. But in the center of his soul, he knows it's worth the risk.

For all his 28 years of living, 12 have been spent getting out of the nest and exploring the land. 4 had been wasted when he let his fears and his trepidations control him on his life journey. The remaining 12 years had been spent discovering confidence, gaining friends, earning respect, walking the path of Kung Fu, the path of self-improvement.

And finding love.

For Crane's heart beats only for one being. A being whose breath is his only air, whose eyes are his only gems, whose words are his only music, and whose face is the masterpiece that he could never replicate via painting. She's one of his fellow warriors, in fact.

Master Viper.

Yes, if you've heard of Crane's tale of how he laboured himself to uncover his Kung Fu potential, you'll know it was Mei Ling who encouraged him, who made his spirit soar, who made his heart roar with courage and boldness. Yes, Mei Ling was a golden cat with a golden heart. But she was too dedicated to her studies in martial arts to be able to form any deep attachment to him. Well, at least that's what Crane thought. And before he could work up the courage to tell her his feelings for her, she had attained master rank and had moved out to start her own academy. Crane didn't feel confident to insert himself into the midst of her labours and instead busied himself with earning a decent living for his own, still humbly taking upon janitor duties at the dojo where he still trained and had yet to achieve his own rank of mastery.

That plan went out a year later when a tiger, a monkey and a viper, all of them around his age, came to the dojo requesting reinforcements for a faraway conflict. Crane had been surprised that he alone had been picked to help above all the other candidates, most of whom were much more competent and advanced than him at the time. But that day changed everything. He started to dedicate his life full time to self-improvement, to mastery. And when that had been achieved a few years later, he let his heart yearn again for attachment, for reciprocated compassion, for the love that only soulmates could share.

That's when he realized his romantic vision was set on the fellow warrior that was the feminine snake, merely a year his junior. She was everything that Mei Ling was to him – a second chance. Only this time he had extra years of confidence to boost him forwards. Eventually, after the defeat of Tai Lung which brought more liberating respite into their lives, Mei Ling had even paid a visit once and encouraged Viper and Crane's blossoming relationship. The snake and the bird had their hearts soar joyfully at their friend's blessing, and spent the night comfortable in each other's intimacy.

And so like the panda and the tiger, both snake and bird had begun dating each other, letting their passion for each other grow day by day, their love for one another accumulating and never stopping. Crane is heavily attuned to his soulmate. That's why he's now busy fighting alongside her, flipping away demonic canines with spindly backflips and gusty wing flaps. That's why in the chaotic midst of this storm full of blood and bruises, he is able to find harmony in her, with her, striking up a lax conversation with her of what they'll do after this battle to wind down.

Because Crane knows they'll survive. She'll survive. And he'll survive.

Because they have each other, and the love that they share shelters them from all harm.

That is Master Crane for you.

* * *

This is Master Viper.

Many know her to be the young, soft and cultivated face of the Furious Five. She is the serpent with no venom, and the eldest daughter of Master Xiu.

She has two younger siblings, both females like her, who take up an active role in providing protection for their village. Her youngest sister, Yun, is a negotiator with a worldly tongue and equitable vision. Yun always spends most days of the week away from home, settling disputes in territories faraway, always using wise and just judgement to keep the hearts of people focused and pure. Her middle sister, Guo, is one of the many commanders of the Draconian Army. Said army serves as both law enforcement for Viper's home village of Draconia as well as outside protection for generous traders and charity workers that travel to and from the village in the Wuyi Mountain Pass.

Even so, both sisters and everyone else acknowledge that Viper herself has made the greatest achievements through the greatest sacrifices. Two decades ago, at the mere age of 7, the fangless little serpent had taken down a heavily armoured gorilla, who had just dispatched her father in combat. That had changed her and other people's views of her greatly. Before she had joined the Jade Palace, the snake had gone by her birth moniker of Hui Lin. Before defeating her first outlaw, Hui Lin was only a timid little girl, who never ventured outside her family's palace grounds and who only busied herself making tea and playing with plush animal dolls for most of her early childhood.

When her first victory transpired due to her willingness to lay down her young life for others, it had brought about the force of courage to support her, to strengthen her both physically and spiritually. Hui Lin transformed into an gregarious girl who ventured out of the palace grounds and into the village almost every day of the week, dancing for the people's enjoyment, learning to paint, learning to swim, learning what it's like to truly be a carefree child.

That experience helped mould her into the brave and selfless being that she is today. What united her on the path to self-mastery was an event that transpired when she was 16, an event that she'd never forget. A tiger, a monkey, and a crane had stopped by her village, looking for volunteers that would be willing to dedicate their time to reinforcing the Jade Palace in one of its most critical cataclysms. Hui Lin was only more than happy to give her all to help out.

That fateful day sowed the seeds of the making of the top tier warrior quintet that would eventually be known as the Furious 5.

Viper, as the snake now went by, became a revered master over the last decade, having spawned a new, innovative way for snake kind to fight without first resorting to fangs, messy consumption or clumsy strangulation to get the job done. Instead, Viper's courage and tenacity gave birth to a new fighting style, one that allowed a serpent to strike, avoid and counter with grace anything that an opponent could throw at them.

That's why, right now, you can see Viper slithering swiftly and easily avoiding the trap jaws and the lethal weapons that uncultured wolves dare to level at her. She slips around behind their defenses with angelic speed, and whips her body around efficiently to effectively take down squad after squad of malevolent canine beasts.

Viper's hardened mettle and sophisticated intuition are two character aspects that she shares deeply with Crane. The only difference that makes them Yin and Yang is his ability to fly, strike and soar with ease of reach and speed above and beyond the immediate battlefield. Other than that, you could totally say they were made for each other.

If you could look at them now, if you could watch quick green twirls mingle with dark blue blurs as both warriors bring down physical justice against sinister and intrusive forces, then you'd wholeheartedly say they complement and complete each other in life. As if hearing them banter with the stock phrases that engaged couples would use whilst swatting away threatening scum wasn't enough.

In summary, Master Viper is entirely selfless. She's a being whose sole purpose in life is to serve others. Including the man whose only treasure is her heart.

She has the courage to give her all. To defend all that she has ever known, and all that she has ever stood for.

That's why she can whip these wolves with the speed of a gale and the fortitude of a mountain.

Strike a snake, and it devours you in return.

* * *

And this is Master Tigress.

Daughter of Grand Master Shifu. Youngest member of the Furious Five, and yet their highly respected leader. Considered a prodigy on par with Master Thundering Rhino despite her ripe young age of only 26.

And… wait for it…

She is also the girlfriend to the Dragon Warrior.

Yep, when you first lay eyes upon the two, you'll wonder how the hell did they ever fall for each other.

Well, for starters, he brought relief and respite to her harrowed and oppressed life. In return, she brought salvation and motivation to his dilapidated and depressed existence.

Po showed her how to truly be free. Tigress showed him how to be commandeering and empirical. They brought the few precious and treasured gifts of fulfillment to each other, the objectives that one struggled in vain to reach was passed onto them by the other. They formed two halves of a perfect, sublime matrix. Their matrix of balance and triumph gave way to the path of a deep friendship and reverence.

On that path, they discovered how their lives shaped their souls, and how, despite the gaping differences of their metaphysical selves, their guts craved the attention of their significant other. How their strong hearts urged them to continue immersing themselves in both the big and the little everyday things that their other always found engaging. And because both the tiger and her beloved both trusted their guts and followed their hearts, they successfully completed the evolving path of friendship between a boy and a girl, and they reached the destination of love. That was the blazing, romantic start of a new phase of life between them, and they continued to take the plunge into the new, adventurous depths of passion that every passing day brought.

That same passion and devotion to each other fuels them in the life and death matters of mortal combat. Tigress knows that with Po around, goodness is guaranteed to go on, from this age to the next, no matter the odds, no matter the menace. And the feline knows that the panda charges into battle with the knowledge that she will always be at his side, no matter what. Because they complete each other. Because they love each other. Because they couldn't imagine life without the other.

With ultimate devotion fuelling her top tier mastery, Tigress feels she can fight with limitless power and energy. She can face any opponent knowing that they'll all come out on top, alive and triumphant. She knows that with both of them standing, the meaning of defeat has no right to exist.

She has longed for mastery, quested for affection. And even though she didn't know it until he first appeared in her life, screaming and plummeting from the sky, she has always yearned for eternal and passionate love.

He gave them all to her.

And as sure as the dawn brings the sunrise, she will give her whole life and love to him in return.

That is Master Tigress for you.

And she'll start accomplishing today's promises of devotion by reinforcing her panda on the rooftops.

* * *

"Tigress! Double Death Strike!"

Po did not know how the wolves managed to flank him on all sides. Especially when he had taken a particularly elevated vantage point. These combatants were much more tactical and disciplined. As a result, they were significantly more arduous to take down than the usual outlaw.

Right now they had pinned him down on the roof of a hall, with nearby axe wielders readying to plunge their heavyweight blades into his flesh. It was just unfortunate for the wolves that they failed to notice that the feline master had rallied to his call and was bounding over to give some much needed backup.

Tigress' first two pounces knocked several soldiers to a bone-cracking death on the stone steps below. Taking the bear by the paws, she twirled around. The tornado of black, white and orange easily dispatched the incoming axe wielders. Whilst they had been occupied by the rooftop menaces, however, several squads had gathered on the hill path overlooking the village from behind, using the high ground to launch an attack reminiscent of a devastating mudslide.

Fortunately, Crane had signalled this to Tigress, and the feline summoned another burst of accumulated vigour to launch the panda into the perfect aerial position to counter with his Feet of Fury Strike.

The snarling swarm of wolves morphed into whining puppies as a monochromatic kicking tornado smashed right into them.

Crane swooped in to deal even more rapidfire blows, which sent the wicked canines either into oblivion, or to an otherwise painful and agonized landing several stories below. The avian pirouetted midair to catch his friend, not even grunting as the bear's weight yanked him down. Po hurled himself into a forward roll the instant he felt his shoes touch the earth again. He easily disarmed a wolf wielding a staff, and utilized the wooden melee instrument to effortlessly bat away several more opponents. Crane dropkicked another wolf who was about to pin down Viper from behind. The blast of the bird's foot impacting upon his heavyset armour sent the wolf reeling back at high speed, and as he felt his ribs crack he only then realized that he had just collided with a tree, right as he passed out from the excruciating damage. But no friend, foe, or bystander paid any concern to him right now. Because the prolonged skirmish was now reaching its precarious climax.

"Tigress!" yelled Po, signalling his beloved to use him as a fulcrum to deal a devastatingly fatal overhead kick to another heavyset opponent.

"Monkey!"

The simian responded to his leader's command, turning his body into a rolling, ramming wheel that stunned and tripped over opponents.

"Viper!" shouted Po, angling his body so that he formed a somewhat ramp for the serpent to slither onto and complete a vicious offload onto another pesky canine. Her initial strike bruised the wolf's eye, and Viper soon landed the dispatching strike on her screeching, flailing enemy. Or rather, she manipulated the sucker's body into falling face first onto one of the metallic pots tied down in the stolen stash.

"Mantis!"

And now, the Goliath summons the David to leap upon the pressure points of the stunned troopers. The insect's strikes leave a variety of intriguing results. Some canines are left paralyzed by acutely precise oneshots. Others have bones broken, or their inner arteries start to internally bleed. Some are just lucky to be left knocked out by the bug's blows.

And some wolves get it all. They are the ones who are still standing, who still get to hear the signal to evacuate. They hop onto the piles as their remaining brethren on the hilltops above start pulling the nets of metal loot up, up and away.

* * *

"Help! Help!"

Po hears the screech of desperation just as he finishes off an unlucky straggler. It's too late for him to do anything now, for the nets have long left the rocky surface behind.

But it's not too late for the token airman of their six-man team to intervene.

"Crane, go!"

"I'm on it!" the bird replied, voice filled with vigourous resolve to defend and protect.

The master of the air beat his wings furiously as he climbed steeply upwards. The net with the trapped pig drew nearer and nearer. With a calculated swipe, the rope attached to it was cut, allowing both the metallic pile and the bird to begin plummeting back down to earth.

Even before Crane had cut the rope, Po and the rest of the Five were ready. Without hesitation, the panda leaped off the cliff's edge, with the guaranteed knowledge that Monkey and Viper were right behind him to form a living lifeline. Tigress was there in an instant to provide the required pivot. Grabbing Monkey by the tail, she hurled her three friends back to safety. Mantis topped it off by catching the pile of metal loot, gently putting it – and the pig still trapped inside – down on the firm and reassuring earth.

"Is everyone alright?" the Dragon Warrior asked, not even out of breath from the battle. He hurried to check over on his friends, and once they had confirmed to him that they were clear of injuries, he went to check on the cheering villagers.

But he was rudely interrupted by the battle cry of a lone wolf, springing up from behind some rocks to ambush him with a hammer. This wolf had customized his armour differently, and had much more stripes on his battle garments. Po concluded that this was their leader and planned to sock him and tow him back for trial and questioning.

But the markings on the leader's pauldron brought pause to his muscles and ice to his heart.

* * *

A baby's wails pierced the cold black of a winter night.

Po soon became aware that the baby was him, and he was looking at something that he'd never seen at all throughout his life.

Another panda. The same kind as him.

Though this was a panda that was fully grown, and was also female instead. But she had eyes that were as green as his own jade orbs, a face shape that only he could have inherited, and was wearing a bitter smile that he only knew too well. For it was a smile that he had worn many times throughout his life, throughout the many times that he had faced scorn and rejection and disappointment, before he had ever even achieved his dream of one day becoming a great warrior.

That smile, he noticed, disappeared from the female's complexion, and was replaced with steely intensity. Her face hardened, and so too did her heart. She turned and fled, ignoring the infant's cries – his cries – for someone, anyone, to help.

* * *

This pause and revelation was more than enough of a moment that Po's enemy utilized to its full advantage.

The Dragon Warrior barely heard Tigress screaming for him to move just an instant before a tonne of cylindrical metal slammed unforgivingly into his face.

His consciousness faded for several moments, the bruising impact of the ground rushing up to meet him snapping him back to a harsh reality.

"Chew on that, Tubby!" he heard the leader say, just as the wolf leapt onto the last stack of metal and fled the scene of the attack.

"Po?"

He heard the gruff yet terrified voice of Mantis speak out to him.

"Po!"

This time it was Crane crying out in concern.

He felt Monkey steadily lift his throbbing head off the ground.

"Sweetie are you okay?" Viper queried with anxiety, slithering over to check on her comrade.

"What happened?"

That was Tigress speaking now. And the urgency of her voice cut through the painful fog that still floated around in his head.

He felt the words tumbling out of his mouth uncontrollably, but his subconsciousness restrained the truth from revealing itself.

"I think I saw… I think…"

He sounded stupid, he mentally chided himself. He resolved to force down the matter and hoped to never again speak of it to his friends.

"I gotta go."

And with that, he bolted off, leaving his comrades confused and concerned. With silent looks shared between each other, they decided that it would be best to mop up the business of Artisan first, and then voice their worries to him later.

The truth cannot remain hidden forever.

* * *

 **Did anyone pick up the reference?**

 **What did you think of this chapter?**

 **Feel free to tell me in a review!**

 **And have a good day!**

 **Transformers 0 over the moon and out!**


	11. Mr Ping

**Mr Ping**

"Hello, welcome to Dragon Warrior Noodles and Tofu," said the still kicking – or should it be still quacking? – voice of the current oldest resident in the valley.

Mr Ping.

The 70-year-old master of noodles. The quickest and breeziest chef in all of China.

But most importantly, the loving father of the Dragon Warrior.

A certain family-themed phrase has been passed down from age to age, all the way through the rivers of history.

"Like mother, like daughter."

Or the male version: "Like father, like son."

And that phrase rings ever true in the relationship between Mr Ping and his son.

Selflessness, humility, acceptance, and love.

These four core values were intimately passed on from father to son over the past 30 years of their life together. And while the valley knows that Po is truly a paragon to behold for generations to come, they'd never forget the loving efforts of his father to raise him up to conquer all of life's challenges.

So alas, while Mr Ping claims that it's just his shrewd businessman mind that keeps his restaurant numbers in full bloom, everyone else knows that it is the charismatic goose himself that pours all of his heart out into life that keeps the people attracted to his humble little diner.

That, and of course the Dragon Warrior memorabilia that said father displays for all the people to see while they eat. It keeps admiration and morale levels up, Mr Ping says to those who are curious enough to ask.

* * *

"Excuse me, Mr Ping?" a swine farmer asked as he and his son walked into the entrance of the restaurant, "Where is the Dragon Warrior now?"

The old, silver goose could see the admiration glowing out of the young piglet's eyes as the child shook with excitement next to his father. Disappointingly, it would seem that they would have to wait a bit.

Hiding his sheepishness, Mr Ping responded, "Oh he's not here at the moment. He's busy out there, protecting the valley. All that lovely, heroic jazz."

"Look! It's the Dragon Warrior!"

The rabbit who had stood up and interrupted the relative peace and quiet of the restaurant pointed to the familiar panda in question. There was no mistaking who that was.

"Po!" squawked Mr Ping in pure joy. He ran over to his son as fast as his old goose legs could carry him. His son happily bent down so that his father could peck him on the cheek.

"You didn't tell me you were coming! I would have saved you some stinky tofu!"

"Uh, thanks Dad, but could I talk to you for a minute?" queried Po, as he took the stack of empty used bowls from his father's wings and made his way to the kitchen. The audience clapped and cheered as he made his way past.

As he entered the kitchen, he heard the jubilation of the patrons as his father announced free desserts on the house, then some aww's as the old goose followed said statement up with the requirement of one extra purchase from the menu.

 _Classic business manoeuvre, Dad._

Po's amused reflections were brought to a halt by his father's ecstatic voice.

"It's so good to see you, Po! Have you lost weight? I can almost put my wings around you!"

"Um, maybe a little," Po smiled proudly.

"Oh, poor you!" his father continued in apparent obliviousness, "You must feel weak! Let me get you something to eat!"

"Uh, thanks Dad, but I'm not hungry," Po replied, his distraction and unease boiling to the surface.

"Not _hungry_? Son, are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Po answered halfmindedly, "It was just… earlier today, I was fighting these bandits…"

The panda could feel his father tense up a bit at this.

"Nothing too dangerous," the bear added, "But then the strangest thing happened. I had this crazy vision. I think I saw my mom, and me, as a baby…"

"Your mom? A baby?" Mr Ping pieced together, suddenly getting a very bad feeling about this.

"Uh, Dad, how do I… say this?" asked Po, with surprising delicacy in his voice. The panda gazed over to the family portrait hung high up on the wall, of him as a cub and of his father back when the goose wasn't always covered in silver feathers. That painting was a testament to their love for each other, and that love for each other would start getting tested today, right now.

"Dad?" Po probed again, "Where exactly did I come from?"

His father turned, and Po saw a wave of pain cascading through his old man's eyes.

"Well, son, baby geese come from a small egg… eh, don't ask me where your egg came from!"

"Dad…" Po sighed in slight vexation and abashment, "That's not what I meant."

"I know, it's not," Mr Ping replied sadly, solemnity replacing the elderly bird's usual jubilance, "Po, I think it's time I told you something that I should've told you long ago."

"Yeah…?" Po asked in quaint nervousness. He subconsciously took a tiny step forwards to listen to what his dad had to say.

"You might have been kind of… adopted, my son."

"I _knew_ it."

"You _knew_? Well who told you?!"

"No one! I mean, come on Dad, really?!"

"Well if you knew, why didn't you say anything?"

"Why didn't _you_ say _anything_?!" Po retorted, hurt etched in his raised voice. When he noticed his father looking shamefully at the slate wall behind him, Po got a firmer hold of his emotions.

"Dad?" he asked again, his voice now returning to empathetic softness, "How did I get here? Where did I come from?"

It then seemed that either his father had not heard him or ignored the question, for the old goose was pulling an empty basket out of a nearby cupboard.

But of course a father would hear the painful cry of his child.

"Actually son," he said, gesturing with his wing to the basket he laid between them, "You came from this."

* * *

 _"It was just another day in the restaurant. Time to make the noodles."_

30 years ago, a middle-aged goose waddled out of his family restaurant to collect his weekly delivery of ingredients. He had ordered an extra amount of radishes, for his new hit, Radish-Mein, had been a smash success amongst the villagers.

 _"I went out to the back, where my vegetables had just been delivered."_

The goose sighed as the sun's dwindling rays of gold touched his feathers, warm aromas blending the town into a pleasant atmospheric afternoon. He planned to take in his vegetables, and then meet up with Mr Xou for a long awaited mah-jong match with his old pig friend. A rattle of wood on cobblestone snatched his attention away from his nightly plans.

 _"There were cabbages, turnips and radishes… only there were no radishes!"_

The mild commotion was coming from one of the boxes. Warily, Ping approached it, but before he could take a peek for himself, his patience rewarded him and the answer revealed itself.

A baby panda, no more than a few months old, looking a little worse for wear.

 _"It was just a very hungry baby panda."_

Despite his scraggy appearance, the baby cared not for it. He had just eaten his afternoon meal, and he burped contentedly, rolling over and giving his sweetest smile to the curious onlooker that came his way.

Ping was transfixed. Yes, the baby's actions were adorable to stare at, but he was deeply perturbed by the lack of biological parental figures around the place.

The streets were empty too, with no evidence of any recent arrivals or departures.

 _"There was no note. Of course… you could've eaten it. I waited for someone to come looking for you, but no one did."_

Seeing that none had approached him or the baby at all, Ping decided to move in his food crates first, and then deal with the matter of the infant.

As soon as he had brought his first crate inside, however, the goose heard despairing wailing resonating from outside. The poor cub was still starving. Picking up his last radish, Ping rolled it with enough precision so that it came to a well-calculated stop just in front of the baby panda. The infant swallowed it happily, little green unworldly eyes staring gratefully at his newfound custodian. The edges of Ping's beak flitted upwards in paternal amusement.

 _"I brought you inside, fed you, gave you a bath…"_

The baby panda was more than thrilled to follow the trail of dumplings, bakery and sliced veggies left behind for him, and soon found himself rolling forward into a tub filled with soapy water. Ping smiled at his little innovative caretaking ploy.

He started brushing the cub, every so often watching in amusement as the little panda intently tried his first bubble… and decided that the taste was revolting. Other bath time shenanigans happened too, such as the classic blowing your mouth in the water, and splashing your appendages gleefully. Ping watched it all with warmth in his heart.

 _"And then I fed you again, and again…"_

The goose expertly and fluidly sliced up more raw vegetables for the panda cub to eat, before realising he had warmer foods for the child to consume.

Feeding soup to the child went well, until the little one almost swallowed the spoon whole down his windpipe, nearly giving the goose a heart attack. Following this incident, the bird decided it was for the best to just let the child drink out of the bowl.

 _"And of course, I tried to put some pants on you."_

The baby scrambled away, squealing and giggling. Ping waddled laxly after it. The child knocked into a table, spilling the contents of food over the edge, then it crawled underneath the benchtops and bumped its head there, sending pots, pans and bowls to the ground. Some shattered, some clattered, and one wok bounced around, by some coincidence landing squarely on the head of the cub who had just crawled out from underneath the counter. The small panda let out a startled cry and started whimpering, each anguished quaver intensifying by the second. Ping, moved heavily by all of this, stooped low to the child's eye level, and swivelled the wok around gently.

The child turned its head slowly, and his green orbs locked with that of the elder.

The goose felt his heart melt completely, and he couldn't stop a few tears filling the bottom of his own brown eyes as he smiled lovingly at the little one he would call his own from this moment onward.

The child sensed this significant change too, and he smiled affectionately at his newfound caretaker. His protector.

His father.

 _"Finally, I made a decision that would change my life forever… to make my soup without radishes…"_

The bird watched over his cub, as the latter sat contentedly in an armchair. The avian brought over a bowl filled with a new kind of noodle soup he had created. It was a noodle soup with a secret ingredient that he would now prize as his most precious creation. He fed it to the panda cub, who deserved it free and full of unconditional love. For the infant had brought about this wonderful new dish creation.

But even more importantly…

 _"And to raise you as my own son. Xiao Po, my little panda."_

That child was _his_.

Now and forever.

And Ping would always treasure that blessing for all of his days.

 _"From that moment on, both my soup and my life have been that much sweeter."_

* * *

"And little Po, that's the end of the story. Look at me! Wait, no don't look at me…"

Mr Ping raised an abashed wing to momentarily excuse himself to regain his composure. He couldn't lose his control in front of the greatest warrior China had ever known. And… he couldn't lose face in front of his son.

 _His only son…_

However, said only son was still just only standing rod-straight, mouth still agape and soul still longing for answers.

"That's it? That can't be it! There's gotta be _more_ , Dad!"

"Well, there was that time where you ate all my bamboo furniture. It was imported too."

The conversation between parent and child was interrupted by the ringing of the counter bell and a clattering of coins. A customer.

"One dumpling please. Dragon Warrior size!"

With strength one would not believe could come from a goose, Mr Ping heaved a gigantic dumpling over to the bunny, a smile not leaving the cook's face. The rabbit peeped his thanks and bounced off with the dumpling in his paws.

Mr Ping turned back to his child, and tried to sufficiently reach out once more.

With the old goose's luck though, it was bound to go a bit lopsided.

"Oh Po, your story may not have such a happy beginning, but look how it all turned out! You got me! You got Kung Fu! And you got noodles!"

Mr Ping tried earnestly hard to hide his concerns behind a veil of a wide smile upon his beak, but his son, attuned to spiritual auras and the like, sensed his father's unease.

"I know… but I just have so many questions! Like how did I ever fit into this tiny basket? Why didn't I like pants?..."

Father and son locked gazes for the briefest of moments. That was all that was needed to feel the other's pain.

The son felt isolated. Uncertain. All sense of contentment dashed and faith in his caretakers starting to crack. Shifu's recent teachings had eluded his senses, and now his father is afraid of the truth? The panda never learned that value from his parent, he was sure. So why was it being deconstructed so blatantly now? Everything he had known about his life started dismantling itself bit by bit, and if the process completed itself, he wasn't certain if he would ever be the same again.

As for the father, he felt hurt. Hurt that he had failed his child. Hurt that he had broken his own teachings. Hurt that he had hidden in cowardice from the truth. And hurt for the fact that it seemed his son was now willing to cast him out of his life. Maybe not now. Maybe not tomorrow. But when his son would eventually find the answers he sought, the father was certain that the son would leave him behind to live alone. To grieve alone. To pass out of this life, alone.

But all that didn't encompass the pain Ping felt when his only child – the adult panda who long ago was once a little, helpless cub looking to him for love and care – spoke these next few words.

"Who am I?"


End file.
